Whether it is steak, roast or mince, beef is as popular as ever according to a YouGov poll, carried out ahead of this year’s Great British Beef Week.

Eighty-three per cent of meat eaters said beef is a versatile meat which can be used in lots of different recipes. When asked for their favourite dish, steak proved the top meal for the 18 to 25s (35 per cent) followed by spaghetti bolognaise, while roast beef was the number one choice of the 55 and overs (34 per cent).

The YouGov poll also looked at attitudes towards health. Just over half of respondents who eat meat (54 per cent) agreed that beef is good for you.

This year’s Great British Beef Week starts tomorrow (Thursday), St George’s Day, It is organised by Ladies in Beef and celebrates all that is good about British beef while raising funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, which helps those in difficulty in the farming industry.

NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said: “Ahead of the election, it’s important to highlight the need for the next government and the food industry to ensure we have more long term investment and that efforts are made to reduce the regulatory burden that stifles the livestock sector. Consumer and retailer support will be critical if we are to see the right market signals for beef farmers to invest and reverse the current decline in cow numbers.”