IluvABbeef
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2006
- Messages
- 3,630
From Canadian Cattlemen magazine
What we do:
-Develop and use a standard culling protocol. Review it periodically, following feedback from packers and buyers. Our standard culling protocols include:
1. Information on reasons for culling
2. Marketing decision for immediate sale
3. Feeding strategies until cull prices peak (depends on feed availability and cost)
4. Animal handling for specific conditions (e.g., cancer eyes, non-ambulatory animals)
-Develop and use salvage and emergency slaughter protocols
-Establish and use a protocol for non-ambulatory animals as well as an on-farm euthanasia policy
-Maintain records on cullind decisions and disposition of culls (feedback from packer)
-Cull bulls for unsatisfactory breeding soundness, physical defects, poor body condition, trichonomiasis and chronic disease
-Cull cows for disease, cancer eye, production inefficiency, poor maternal behaviour, bad feet and legs, inadequate body condition score (BCS), lack of teeth, wild temperament, mastitis, udder defects, infertility (open or late), etc.
-Make sure cows are ambulatory when sent to slaughter. We konw that problem cows should not be sould on the market to unsuspecting producers.
-Sell culls in a timely manner and when they are still in good body condition. If this is not possible, we feed them until they are in good body condition or, especially in the case of non-ambulatory animals, we humanely euthanize them at home.
-Ensure animal history records accompany cull cattle at sale time.
-Minimize marketing stress. We ship non-ambulatory cows and bulls directly to the packer or euthanize. Ship cull cattle either directly to the packer or through an auction market that implements good cattle handling practices and provides feed and water for animals held for an extended time.
-Transport culls in a manner that reduces non-ambulatory cattle, dark cutters, and bruising.
-Make sure truckers and trucks used to transport cattle comply with the Federal Health of Animals Regulations on Animal Transportation and the Code of Practice for Beef Cattle. We also make sure trucks used to haul large cows and bulls have enough room within compartments (both terms of width and height) to avoid injuries which can hurt the animal and/or cause bruising.
-Ensure dead animals are disposed of by burial, rendering or burning (your municipality can give you the specific requirements)
-Check animal health product withdrawal times to ensure all cattle are free of residues prior to slaughter.
How we benefit:
-Increases value of cull cattle through improved condition of culls prior to sale and timely marketing
-Salvages some value from injured cattle and chronics
-Reduces level of condemnations (based on the first Quality Starts Here survey data the loss from condemned heads is $25; the loss from whole carcasses is $600 to $800). Heads are condemned for cancer eyes, lump jaw and contaminated sinuses when horns are removed at the plant.
-Reduces occurence of non-ambulatory animals (loss of $600 to $800/head), dark cutters (loss of $25/cwt) and bruising (average loss of $8.75/cull cow).
-Ensures shipment of healthy cattle in good condition to maximize carcass quality and food safety and reduce risk of condemnation or price discounts due to nonconformities
-Ensures quality reputation for preferred buyer/seller relationships
-Improves animal welfare by reducing any potential animal suffering
-Improves consumer perception of animal handling and welfare
-Proper disposal of carcasses reduces risk of environmental contamination and spread of diseases.
What we do:
-Develop and use a standard culling protocol. Review it periodically, following feedback from packers and buyers. Our standard culling protocols include:
1. Information on reasons for culling
2. Marketing decision for immediate sale
3. Feeding strategies until cull prices peak (depends on feed availability and cost)
4. Animal handling for specific conditions (e.g., cancer eyes, non-ambulatory animals)
-Develop and use salvage and emergency slaughter protocols
-Establish and use a protocol for non-ambulatory animals as well as an on-farm euthanasia policy
-Maintain records on cullind decisions and disposition of culls (feedback from packer)
-Cull bulls for unsatisfactory breeding soundness, physical defects, poor body condition, trichonomiasis and chronic disease
-Cull cows for disease, cancer eye, production inefficiency, poor maternal behaviour, bad feet and legs, inadequate body condition score (BCS), lack of teeth, wild temperament, mastitis, udder defects, infertility (open or late), etc.
-Make sure cows are ambulatory when sent to slaughter. We konw that problem cows should not be sould on the market to unsuspecting producers.
-Sell culls in a timely manner and when they are still in good body condition. If this is not possible, we feed them until they are in good body condition or, especially in the case of non-ambulatory animals, we humanely euthanize them at home.
-Ensure animal history records accompany cull cattle at sale time.
-Minimize marketing stress. We ship non-ambulatory cows and bulls directly to the packer or euthanize. Ship cull cattle either directly to the packer or through an auction market that implements good cattle handling practices and provides feed and water for animals held for an extended time.
-Transport culls in a manner that reduces non-ambulatory cattle, dark cutters, and bruising.
-Make sure truckers and trucks used to transport cattle comply with the Federal Health of Animals Regulations on Animal Transportation and the Code of Practice for Beef Cattle. We also make sure trucks used to haul large cows and bulls have enough room within compartments (both terms of width and height) to avoid injuries which can hurt the animal and/or cause bruising.
-Ensure dead animals are disposed of by burial, rendering or burning (your municipality can give you the specific requirements)
-Check animal health product withdrawal times to ensure all cattle are free of residues prior to slaughter.
How we benefit:
-Increases value of cull cattle through improved condition of culls prior to sale and timely marketing
-Salvages some value from injured cattle and chronics
-Reduces level of condemnations (based on the first Quality Starts Here survey data the loss from condemned heads is $25; the loss from whole carcasses is $600 to $800). Heads are condemned for cancer eyes, lump jaw and contaminated sinuses when horns are removed at the plant.
-Reduces occurence of non-ambulatory animals (loss of $600 to $800/head), dark cutters (loss of $25/cwt) and bruising (average loss of $8.75/cull cow).
-Ensures shipment of healthy cattle in good condition to maximize carcass quality and food safety and reduce risk of condemnation or price discounts due to nonconformities
-Ensures quality reputation for preferred buyer/seller relationships
-Improves animal welfare by reducing any potential animal suffering
-Improves consumer perception of animal handling and welfare
-Proper disposal of carcasses reduces risk of environmental contamination and spread of diseases.
