National Market Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit - 1999: A survey of producer-related defects in market cows and bulls

The 1999 National Market Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit comprised face-to- face interviews with industry representatives (n = 49); in-plant evaluation s of cattle in holding pens (n = 3,969), carcasses on harvest floors (n = 5 ,679), and in carcass coolers (n = 4,378); and a strategy workshop. Face-to -face interviews suggested that the beef industry was most frequently conce rned about the presence of antibiotic residues in carcasses, presence of le ad shot in carcasses, and price discovery for carcasses following excessive trimming of bruises and testing due to arthritic joints, pathogens, or ant ibiotic residues. Although live animal evaluations determined that 73.4% of beef cows, 60.8% of dairy cows, 63.7% of beef bulls, and 10.9% of dairy bu lls did not exhibit evidence of lameness, Tosses due to lameness were great er (P < 0.05) than in the 1994 National Non-Fed Beef Quality Audit. In-plan t audits revealed that 88.9, 10.3, and 88.2% of cow carcasses and 18.9, 21. 2, and 52.9% of huh carcasses had inadequate muscling, arthritic joints, an d at least 1 bruise, respectively, all of which resulted in greater (P < 0. 05) losses than the same defects in 1994. Audits revealed that 88.9% of cow carcasses and 18.9% of bull carcasses were lightly muscled, resulting in g reater (P < 0.05) losses for cow carcasses, and similar (P > 0.05) losses f or bull carcasses, than the same defect in the 1994 audit. Also, 14.5 and 3 0.8% of cow carcasses and 6.9 and 5.9% of bull carcasses had excess externa l fat and yellow-colored external fat, respectively, which was an improveme nt (P < 0.05) over 1994 results. In aggregate, 24.1, 19.2, 7.2, 6.7, 9.5, a nd 1.1% of livers, tripe, hearts, heads, tongues, and whole cattle or carca sses, respectively, were condemned and 60.6, 2.4, and 46.5% of cattle had h ide damage from latent defects, insect damage, and brands, respectively. Co ndemnation rates were generally lower (P < 0.05), but tongue condemnations and frequency of branded hides were higher (P < 0.05) than in 1994. Produce rs should promote value in cows and bulls by managing to minimize quality d efects, monitoring health and condition, and marketing in a timely manner. Using these techniques, producers might have recaptured $13.82, $27.50, and $27.50, respectively, for each cow or bull harvested in 1999.