Farmers Deploy New DNA Test for Tastier Meat

When Mark Gardiner looks at one of his bulls, he sees generations of high-quality steaks. By having his animals’ DNA scanned by a gene-testing firm, Mr. Gardiner, a Kansas cattle breeder, can tell nearly from birth how many pounds they are likely to pack on per day and how much rich, marbled beef their carcasses will yield. U.S. cattle ranches, using technology developed by companies including food-safety firm Neogen Corp. and animal-drug maker Zoetis Inc., are conducting more-sophisticated genetic tests like the ones that give Mr. Gardiner a glimpse of his animals’ future. Advances in DNA analysis help veterinarians and breeders identify prize animals whose offspring will yield a larger volume of tastier steaks—fetching producers higher prices from Cargill Inc. and other beef processors. Testing also can save money on animal upkeep by culling cattle with less-desirable genes. Cattle breeders say such tests allow them to assess a bull’s genetic value with the same accuracy as if it already had sired up to 20 calves. Proponents describe the genetic analysis tools as “Moneyball” meets “Bonanza.” “This helps give you a higher batting average,” said Mr. Gardiner, 53 years old, whose family runs Gardiner Angus Ranch in Ashland, Kan. The American Angus Association estimates that about 20% of the purebred animals registered under its breed in 2014 were genetically tested, up from less than 1% in 2010, when the Angus-specific tests became available. Two-thirds of commercial cattle ranchers in the U.S. say their cow herds include animals with Angus genes, according to the association...more