Belgian Blue Beef Scores Exclusive Market

REGINA - Dec 13/06 - SNS -- Beef from the Belgian Blue cattle breed will be used exclusively as the source for lean beef sold under the Laura's Lean Beef brand in Canada.

The Canadian Belgian Blue Association (CBBA) says their breed requires no hormones to produce high yielding lean carcasses with excellent cutability.

Especially attractive for Belgian Blue breeders is that companies like Laura Lean Beef pay substantial premiums for lean high yielding carcasses. While discounting AAA, they pay, on today's market price, a 22.5 $ per ctw premium for 67 % or more Canadian Lean Yield carcasses.

When slaughtered as purebred animals, Belgian Blue Beef cattle will deliver meat yields that are unheard of with other breeds. In Belgium, Belgian Blue breeders refer to exceptional animals as double 75 ers (75 % carcass yield of 75 % of lean yield) In Canada Belgian Blue cross carcasses scored up to 72.50 % for cutability, figures seldom seen by the beef industry at Agribition.