The EU Commission is to introduce new DNA-based gender tests for cattle to combat fraudulent claims for export refunds.
The beef trade receives several million euros of EU export refunds, and the sums granted for the export of beef from male cattle are substantially higher than for meat from female animals, the Commission said.
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Ensuring a proper declaration of gender of the beef at the point of export is therefore essential, the Commission added in a statement. Under new EU legislation, which will enter into force today[Monday], a new technique developed by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) will be introduced.
The JRC carried out a feasibility study on current analytical methods in use. The results showed that the most promising technique is polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with subsequent gel electrophoresis, as it best fulfils the requirements for rapid and accurate sexing of meat and showed reliability for regular use.
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