| | Section V, the Quality Assurance unit of the Alberta Feedlot Management Guide is made up of thirteen fact sheets providing information on conditions which will affect the quality of a beef carcass for human consumption. These include diseases, parasites, physical damage and pharmaceutical residues in beef. Topics consist of methods of assuring food safety and quality control in the feedlot and vary from descriptions of such diseases as Cystercercosis and E Coli 0157, conditions such as hide damage and liver abscesses and their causes to injection site lesions and broken needles in the beef. Fact sheets, many in point form, contain descriptions of each condition along with causes and preventative measures.
Why Quality Assurance in the Feedlot?
A brief summary stressing the importance of implementing a quality assurance program in the feedlot as a management strategy in order to maintain consumer confidence in beef as a protein source. An effective quality assurance program must address the following issues: quality assurance and feedlot profitability; the principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points; standard operating procedures and utilizing the principles of HACCP for feedlots; and the proper design and implementation of a Quality Assurance Program. Joint co-operation between the primary producer, the cattle feeder and the packer is important to maintaining the concept of total quality management.
Food Safety and Risk Prevention in the Feedlot
A brief description of the “Quality Starts Here” program implemented to develop industry standards to improve the quality and safety of Canadian beef. The program includes the development of “Good Production Practices” manuals which consist of recommended good production practices for the livestock industry to ensure the production of a high quality and safe food product while ensuring the animal’s well-being and economic viability.
Cysticercosis
A description of Cysticercosis (Beef Measles) in cattle, a condition where fluid filled cysts develop around the larvae (Cysticercus bovis) in the muscle of cattle (Most often in the heart, head, tongue and diaphragm). Cattle are the intermediate host for this parasite, which is spread from humans when the cattle consume feed, field grasses or water that is contaminated by human feces containing tapeworm eggs. There is no existing treatment for a live animal, and often a carcass containing a large number of cysts is condemned, causing economic loss. Risk factors, symptoms and preventative measures for the condition are presented.
E. Coli 0157
Description, in point form, of the occurrence of E. coli 0157, a bacterial infection commonly found in the gut of cattle, and responsible for food borne illness in humans. This organism has been isolated from numerous species of mammals, birds and humans. The organism can cause shedding in cattle but is confined to the gut and does not cause disease in cattle. Food borne infection from E. coli 0157 can occur with the consumption of contaminated food or water. Tips for control and prevention of the illness are included, along with management practices the producer can implement to aid in preventing transmission of the disease.
Salmonellosis
Description with tips on control, prevention and treatment of Salmonellosis, a food-borne bacterial disease that is infectious in both cattle and humans. Effects of the disease on cattle through infection by multiple serotypes include a morbidity of over 50% in calves and a death rate of 100% in sick cattle if they are not treated. As cattle are a reservoir of salmonella in humans, and infected animals and humans can remain carriers of the bacteria and shed it in the stool, salmonellosis is a provincially reportable disease. Suggestions for control include the prevention of contamination of foodstuffs; proper cooking and refrigeration of meat, poultry and eggs; and effective disposal of sewage and manure.
Hide Damage – Tags, Grubs and Brands
A review of the various types of damage that can affect the hides of feedlot cattle and which can significantly reduce their value. Causes include physical damage such as tag (from matted manure and mud), improper branding techniques, barbed wire and scratching; and damage from insects and parasites such as mange, ringworm, warts and grubs. Management to reduce damage to the hide can include cleanliness in feedlot facilities and transport trucks, alternative forms of branding or identification and preventative treatment for external parasites.
Liver Abscesses
A short review of the causes of liver abscesses in feedlot cattle, the resulting economic consequences and management practices for prevention. If a liver is discounted due to the presence of abscesses, the economic loss is in many cases not just for the loss of the liver, but also for cross contamination of the entire offal and a decrease in carcass yield resulting in a 1.4% reduction in dressing percentage. In many cases the cause of liver abscesses is the improper use of high concentrate diets and poor feed bunk management. Suggestions for the prevention of abscess by instituting proper feed management practices and the use of antimicrobials are given.
Bruising and Dark Cutters
A short review of the factors leading to devaluation of a carcass such as bruising and dark cutters, along with the causes and suggested solutions to the problem. Economic losses from bruising can occur 29 to 40% of the time and can result from several pounds of loss through trim and devaluation of prime cuts. In the case of a dark cutter where the estimated occurrence is highest in cull cows and bulls, losses occur through the meat usually being ground for hamburger with a young carcass becoming an ungraded product. Practical tips for the management of cattle in a way that can reduce the incidence of damage are included.
Injection Site Lesions
A description of the damage to a carcass leading to its devaluation caused by injection site lesions. Scars from these lesions persist for the life of the animal and can be responsible for losses of 5 to 10 dollars a head due to trim of scar tissue and devaluation of prime cuts. Tips to minimize damage from these lesions by using proper procedures when injecting drugs and an illustration showing the damage are included.
Broken Needles in Beef
Description of a physical food hazard experienced by 41% of processors in Canada, broken needles in beef. Because broken needles can lead to economic losses caused by injury to the consumer and consumer dissatisfaction resulting in reduced consumption of beef, they are regarded as a serious threat to the safety and quality of the product. A series of pointers aimed at the prevention of broken needles is included.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)
An explanation of the HACCP system giving its history, seven basic principles and the benefits of its implementation. HACCP was developed in response to increasing public concern over the rising incidence of food-borne diseases. A HACCP plan is intended to identify potential biological, chemical and physical hazards that can cause food-borne illness, and applies control measures at identified stages of the production process to prevent, reduce or eliminate hazards before they occur. The seven basic principles used in developing HACCP plans include hazard analysis, Critical Control Point identification, establishing critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification procedures, and record keeping and documentation.
Extra-Label Use of Animal Health Products in Cattle
An explanation of what it means to employ extra-label use of animal health products on cattle and the consequences of such use. Extra-label use is defined as using an animal health product for any other purpose than what is stated on the label, and includes administering the product at higher or lower doses, at greater or lesser frequency, with different routes of administration, in different species and for different purposes than what is stated on the label. Consequences can include economic losses from condemned carcasses with chemical residues, loss of consumer confidence and possible drug reactions in a human resulting in liability. Some tips are included to ensure proper use of these products in cattle.
The Avoidance of Potential Drug residues and Antimicrobial Resistance
A discussion on the causes of drug residues and antimicrobial resistance in beef cattle with descriptions of screening tests and avoidance strategies. The primary causes of drug residues are the failure to observe the proper withdrawal period and the extra-label use of antimicrobials. The Swab Test on Premises (STOP) is the test used by inspectors to detect antibiotic residues in kidney tissue. The Live Animal Swab Test (LAST) is available for on-farm screening of live animals and the Calf Antibiotic and Sulpha Test (CAST) is used to detect antibiotics and sulfonamides in veal kidneys. Strategies for prevention of residues include proper documentation of any treatment an animal receives and cooperation between the feedlot operator and veterinarian on the care of an animal with the veterinarian educating the producer about all aspects of the problem. A major tool for veterinarians is the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD). |
|