TheBeefSite Newsletter - 21 September 2011

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Animal Welfare in Transport Code Issued

Minimum standards of animal welfare and recommended best practices for everyone involved in transporting animals in New Zealand have been published in a new code of welfare.

The Animal Welfare (Transport within New Zealand) Code of Welfare 2011, developed by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), encourages all those responsible for animals during transport to adopt the highest standards of husbandry, care and handling.

Research in the UK has shown that the darker colouring on the meat is usually caused by stress around the time of slaughter, with an increased flow of hormones produced as a result of increased anxiety.

This can be caused by the mixing of unfamiliar animals, including in transportation and in lairage, leading to fighting and mounting behaviour. A seasonal change in temperatures, such as we are experiencing now, catching cattle before they have grown a winter coat and also a drop in dietary energy from late season grass can both add to the problem.

While all cattle can be affected, bulls are most susceptible so warrant particular care.

EBLEX research on the issue, carried out with the University of Bristol, has helped develop some best practice guidelines for producers and processors to minimise the chances of producing dark cutting meat. And, at current market values, adopting such measures could save up to £160 per carcase.

In the US, meat, food and agriculture organisations have hit out at proposals to introduce “user fees” for federal inspection of meat, poultry and egg products as the committee works to craft a deficit reduction plan.

In a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, the organisations say: "The industry stands ready to work with both the Administration and the Committee to find ways to reduce overhead costs at the Food Safety Inspection Service, especially in this time of extreme economic hardship, but those reductions should not jeopardize either the Agency’s public health mission or its Congressional mandate for continuous inspection in the meat and poultry industries.”

Chris Harris

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 7 new features this week:

The European Response to BSE: A Success Story
Food safety authorities across Europe and the meat industry will need to stay vigilant to the threat of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) even while the number of incidents has dramatically decreased.

Compensating For High Feed Prices
Based on current feed prices and December cattle markets, cattle placed in feedlots right now may not lose money, but may not turn a large profit either, says Grant Crawford, University of Minnesota Extension Beef Educator.

Peering At Genes To Detect Origin Of Cattle Diseases
The eyes are said to be the windows into the soul of humans, but in the case of cattle, they may hold clues to overall animal health. A closer look at pinkeye is offering insight into other costly bacterial diseases as well.

Lameness In Beef Cattle
Lameness in cattle is a serious economic problem. There are many causes for lameness. It is important that the problem be diagnosed correctly and treated quickly to minimise economic losses, said Dee Griffin, Beef Cattle Production Management Veterinarian.

Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook
Amidst drought and domestically high feed prices, exports are flourishing, according to Rachel J. Johnson in the latest report from US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates – September 2011
Both milk and beef production forecasts for the US are raised, according to the latest USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

US Feed Outlook - September 2011
The US corn yield has dropped and this is expected to boost prices, according to the USDA Economic Research Service.

Genus - Value through science and genomics

Company News

Pfizer Forms Vaccine Joint Venture
CHINA - Pfizer Animal Health, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., and Jilin Guoyuan Animal Health Co., Ltd. have announced that they will create a joint venture programme to develop, manufacture and distribute animal vaccines in China.

CID Lines Re-Brands Top Cleaning Product
BELGIUM - CID Lines has renamed its ‘Biorex’ cleaning product as ‘Keno san’.

Biomin.net Now Available In Vietnamese
VIET NAM - Biomin has now launched a Vietnamese version of the corporate web site.

Biomin To Hold Forum In Seoul
SOUTH KOREA - The theme of the Forum will be ‘Lessons from AGP-free feeding systems abroad – What we can learn and what we can apply in Korea’.

Global Beef Cattle Industry News