Wyoming Beef Council Funds UW Research Project
Written by Caleb Nelson on May 5, 2022
A research proposal from the University of Wyoming’s Meat Science Department in the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences will receive funding from the Wyoming Beef Council (WBC). The council voted to approve Dr. Cody Gifford’s study, which plans to investigate how to add “value and palatability” to the beef round.
Cody Gifford, PhD, Assistant Professor in Meat Science shows a fabricated rib roast in the University of Wyoming’s meat lab earlier this year
Gifford and his assistant McKenzie Phillips will conduct the research at UW’s Meat Science lab in Laramie, the project should be wrapped up by May 2023.
Dr. Gifford’s proposal was submitted because of a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the Wyoming Beef Council. The RFP entrusts a project with “$15,000” according to information provided by the council. Projects must show promise in one of the following areas: “pre-harvest beef safety,” “beef product quality,” and “human nutrition and sustainability.” The results will become available as part of public domain.
Specifically, Dr. Gifford’s project aims to use “aging” and “combination cookery methods” to evaluate possible improvements to “palatability” for cuts from the round with different degrees of marbling.
The study will utilize a panel of 6-8 trained experts to determine sensory attributes for “flavor and aroma” of the beef round.
Ann Wittmann, Executive Director for the WBC, says they have funds available for an additional research projects that falls within the parameters listed above. Funding research is new for the WBC, as Wittmann explains, “we haven’t funded research in a number of years.”
Launched in 2020, the WBC’s new strategic plan is part of an ongoing effort to support the mission and vision of the beef industry. Strategic priorities include:
- Drive growth in beef exports.
- Tell the positive story of sustainable beef cattle production.
- Educate the public about BQA and its impact on animal well-being
- Promote the role of beef in a healthy and sustainable diet.
This plan represents some of the strategic ambitions of the WBC until at least 2026. According to the document, the WBC is committed to benefitting “Wyoming’s beef community and economy by increasing domestic and international beef demand.”
