CALGARY – A nationwide audit of the Canadian beef sector has revealed costly production oversights that need attention if the industry wants to be profitable.
The Canadian Beef Quality Assurance and Product safety program led by a committee of nine industry organizations is examining quality concerns in Canadian slaughter cattle. Audits in four major packing plants ran last August and November. The final audit will conclude in March.
“We want to estimate the economic loss that’s associated with the quality defects and then try to identify strategies for the industry and reduce these losses,” Joyce Van Donkersgoed said during a session at the recent Alberta Cattle Feeders convention in Calgary.
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The study runs three times because various non-conformities and defects appear during different seasons. Inspectors look for carcass defects on the kill floor and in the cooler.
Brent Altwasser of Lakeside Packers at Brooks, Alta., said plant workers see a lot of bruises, as well as insect damage which must be trimmed off.
Size must be consistent
Richard Lower of Cargill Foods at High River, Alta., said dark cutters and animals that are too large or small for the assembly line have caused problems.
Assembly lines in packing plants are set for mid-sized animals. Those that are too small or too large may struggle in the restrainer as they are about to be stunned. The animals become stressed and dark meat may result. Large animals can break their backs on the rail and valuable meat is lost.
Many of these defects can be prevented at the farm, said Van Donkersgoed, an Alberta Agriculture veterinarian participating in the audit.
So far, the study pinpoints the following problems:
- Tag on the hide. Excess manure and dirt is a problem on seven percent of animals. It is difficult to remove a dirty hide and contamination can spread to the carcass. This spreads E. coli bacteria onto exposed fat and muscle which is a leading cause of hamburger disease.
- Hot iron brand scars. Almost half the animals come in carrying brands that result in hide losses of between $5-$10 per head. Rib brands and multiple brands are the most costly.
- Injection site lesions. Injection scars are an expense because damaged muscle tissue must be trimmed away. The lesions which occur in 10-22 percent of animals are caused by irritating drugs and dirty, dull or burred needles that rip muscle tissue. Scars persist and only show up when the animal is cut open.
- Dark cutters. About two to five percent of animals end up as dark cutters with the worst cases found in cull cows and virgin bulls. Triggered by stress, the common causes are fluctuating climatic conditions, fasting, mixing strange cattle together, rough handling, implant programs and genetics. Dark cutter meat is usually ground for hamburger. In a young animal that should have graded well, the loss could be as much as $200.
- Downers. Some plants won’t accept sick or crippled animals which must be condemned.
Causes of bruising
- Bruising. About 20 percent of cattle arrive with major bruises. The worst is seen in cull cows. Bruises must be trimmed away, resulting in several pounds of loss. They are caused by horn gouges, over or under loaded trucks so animals bounce around when being transported, rough handling, slippery floors, low hanging bars in alley ways, poorly designed loading ramps, bolts sticking out of posts and lack of fat cover.
- Liver abscesses. Liver for human consumption is worth $8-$10 but if it’s used for pet food its value drops to about $1. Severely abscessed livers show up in 10-12 percent of animals. It’s caused by high concentrate diets, rapid placement on concentrate diets and improper feed management. A liver covered with abscesses reduces the animal’s feed efficiency and could result in weight loss. The drug Tylan can be added to feed rations as a control.
- Insect and parasite damage to hide and carcasses.
- Stags. These are virgin bulls or improperly castrated males. They will not make the top grades and tend to have large ribeye areas.
