The beef industry represents the single largest contribution to farm cash receipts in Canada; Alberta being the largest beef producing province (cow/calf, feedlot and packing). Therefore, effective tools to improve the competitive position of the beef industry will be of direct benefit to Alberta and Canada at large. This project seeks to improve beef quality by targeting beef tenderness. The aim of this project is to provide a validated panel of DNA markers that can be used to predict beef tenderness at a commercially significant production rate. This targeted tool would be used to identify commercial animals for branded beef programs (marker assisted management) as well as act as genetic selection tool. This technology would allow the Canadian beef industry to address the primary beef quality concern through an important contributing factor, genetic improvement.