Contributions Analysis of Carcass Traits on Auction Prices and Total Prices for Hanwoo in Chungcheong Region of Korea

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This study analyzed the slaughter data of 12,277 Hanwoo cattle from the Chungcheong region (2021 and 2023), and 52,233 cattle from other regions in order to investigate the contribution of carcass trait to auction price. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of carcass traits including backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weight, and marbling score, while environmental factors such as slaughter year, season, and sex were accounted for using the least squares method. The factor of sex showed that steers exhibited significantly higher values for all traits. In terms of slaughter season, backfat thickness did not vary significantly across seasons, but eye muscle area was larger in spring and winter, while carcass weight and marbling score were higher in autumn and winter. For slaughter year, backfat thickness remained consistent, while eye muscle area, carcass weight, and marbling score fluctuated, initially decreasing before showing an increase. In the contribution analysis, marbling score was found to have the highest contribution to auction price (79.34%), followed by backfat thickness (12.75%), carcass weight (7.77%), and eye muscle area (0.14%). For total price, carcass weight (43.12%) and marbling score (47.43%) had the largest contributions, highlighting their importance in determining overall value. These findings indicate that improving marbling and carcass weight can enhance the quality and economic value of Hanwoo beef. Strengthening these traits through effective management and research strategies will not only improve the competitive edge of domestic Hanwoo beef against imported products but also provide economic strategies to address external challenges, such as disease outbreaks and fluctuations in feed costs. The study emphasizes the importance of marbling score and carcass weight in both auction and total prices, suggesting the need to put more focus on these traits to enhance the profitability and quality of Hanwoo production.