The lecturer at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology, Lat Krabang, said it was tasty and healthier than commercially farmed beef.

"A French chef recently tried some and thought it was air-dried ham similar to a delicious Swiss ham. It was beef from cattle raised in rural Thailand," she said.

Jutarat has been researching the native beef, which has a finer grain than that of farmed cattle.

Native beef is leaner and free of chemicals or antibiotics. It has an intra-muscular fat component of just 1 per cent. Farmed cattle have a fat content of 10 per cent.

"Native cows are raised naturally, eating grass and plants in rice fields. They also exercise daily. Farmed cattle are contaminated by antibiotics, chemicals and animal feed," she said.

Jutarat said native beef was best suited to Thai dishes such as larb (spiced minced meat), kaeng matsaman (meat and peanut stew), kaeng nuea (beef stew), meatballs and sausages.

"It is no good for steak because of its natural grain and stickiness," she said.

Fellow researcher Yanin Opaspattanakit said agricultural policy favoured modern cattle-farming techniques using Western breeds.

This has seen domestic breeds overlooked. They are mainly raised as work cattle.

"We need to teach farmers that native cattle can be raised for beef at little cost and with high returns," he said.

Farmer Wirat Janthawee, 55, who raises some 200 cattle, both indigenous and imported, said: "From my experience, the return on investment with native cattle is better even at today's low prices. Few farmers are aware of this."

Thai German Meat Product owner Boonsoeng Srisiam will soon produce air-dried meats and other Western food products from native beef on a trial basis.

"The texture and colour of the beef is good, but we still need to improve quality control," he said.

Marketing and business development executive at Siam Macro Chatchai Tuangra-tanaphan said: "There could be a niche market for native cattle. Price and consumer response are key factors."

Institute faculty of agri-business administration lecturer Thamrong Mekhora said further studies of financial viability were needed.

Jutarat said Mahidol University would research the nutritional value of native beef, including trace-mineral content. It will investigate proper management systems for farmers in Tak province, too. This will tackle the problem of supply.

Jutarat herself has looked into product development and slaughter and processing.

"We have done out part as researchers. The rest is up to the authorities. It will need strong political will to turn this proposal into reality," she said.

"If we can make it, it will be a leap forward for indigenous cattle-raising in Thailand as well promoting the Thai taste among Thais and foreigners. It accords with the sufficiency-economy concept," she said.

Of the eight million cattle raised in Thailand, more than 70 per cent are native. Some scholars think the total could be as high as 99 per cent.

Most native beef is sold in local markets. The beef sold at supermarkets and restaurants is imported or crossbred.

Beef consumption in this country is estimated at 2.5 kilograms per person per year, far less than chicken or pork at 12kg.

Shortage of supply and the number of people who do not eat red meat are two reasons consumption is low, Jutarat explained.

"This also means there is room for growth in the native-beef market," she added.

Kamol Sukin

The Nation