According to reports in the Australian press, strong demand for live cattle exports is encouraging farmers to scan their cattle before sale to check they are charging the right amount.
Roger Evans of Bovine Scanning Solutions conducts 40,000 scans a year on cattle to determine the marbling of the meat. Highly marbled meat can be exported to the Japanese market for a premium.
Evans told Australia’s News Limited the data helped farmers to get a better sale, because they knew more about their product.
"By knowing what’s inside, it can add thousands to the selling price, especially if it has decent marbling," he said. "It’s like buying a car. You want to know what you are getting."