But Meat and Livestock Australia says that the firm price premium, an increasing proportion of butchers (37 per cent) and wholesalers (88pc) selling MSA graded beef and a 27pc jump in the number of MSA graded cattle (to 1.25 million head) indicates strong demand for MSA beef during 2009-10.

The growing momentum of the MSA grading program continued in 2009-10, with the majority of beef processors applying MSA as the minimum standard to underpin the eating quality of some or all of their brands.

Over the 12 months to June, the wholesale price for MSA-graded grainfed yearling cuts was 14pc higher than the non-MSA equivalents and MSA yearling grassfed prices were 16pc higher than the non-MSA cuts.

At retail, the price charged for MSA graded steaks was, on average, 7.5pc higher than non-MSA steaks in 2009-10 – compared with an 8pc premium in 2008-09.