SOUTH Australia’s peak livestock producer group has endorsed the change in Australia’s lamb definition to align it with New Zealand criteria.

Livestock SA president Joe Keynes said it was now important that the industry continued to seek opportunities to improve and should strive to fully implement objective measurement and Meat Standards Australia standards for lamb.

Livestock SA endorsed the proposed change to the lamb definition and will work to ensure the change is well understood and properly managed in the SA lamb and sheep industry value chain, he said.

Sheep Producers Australia last week endorsed the new definition as ‘young sheep under 12 months of age or which do not have any permanent incisor teeth in wear’.

The previous definition for lamb was: ‘Meat derived from a female, castrated male, or entire male ovine animal that shows no evidence of eruption of permanent incisor teeth.’

SPA president Allan Piggott has said the new definition’s implementation is expected to be completed by spring 2019.

Mr Keynes said Livestock SA is keen to see that SA livestock producers and the industry benefit as the changes roll out to domestic and export markets.

“The implementation of more accurate measurements of meat quality in lamb remains important for ensuring the ongoing success of lamb in domestic and international markets.

“We endorse Sheep Producers’ decision and are keen to work with industry to ensure implementation of the new definition rolls out easily,” he said.

Mr Keynes said the results of the lamb definition consultation phase showed that 83 percent of respondents to an industry survey supported the change. Producing lamb which adheres to these standards will ensure a more consistent, quality lamb product is enjoyed by consumers, “all of which is important for ensuring a profitable and productive industry,” he said.

Source: Livestock SA.