Issues Related to Beef Traceability: A Discussion of Transforming Cattle into Products

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Issues Related to Beef Traceability A Discussion
of Transforming Cattle into Products

• Prepared by
• James G. Robb, Erica L. Rosa, and A.E. Lawrence
• Livestock Marketing Information Center
• Lakewood, Colorado
• Email robb_at_lmic.info rosa_at_lmic.info

Western Center for Risk Management Education
Western Extension Marketing Committee
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The Industry Has Changed

• Not A Carcass Based Industry
• U.S. Packing Plants are
• High capacity/volume
• Transport products long distances
• Low cost/high volume business
• Relatively concentrated (firms and geography)
• Produces high quality safe products

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The Production Process

• Disassembly Process
• Beef carcass transformed into boxes of cuts
• Four Major Stages are
• Slaughter or harvest
• Cooler
• Fabrication
• Holding cooler and shipping

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Stage 1
 
Packer Operations
Slaughter or Harvest
Animal processed into carcass hides removed,
etc.
Feedlot
Cattle are sorted according to various
specifications i.e. breed, degree of finish, live
weight
 
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Stage 2
Carcasses are sorted and assigned into batches
Cooler
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Stage 3
Batches are broken down into primals, sub-primals
and cuts products are boxed
Fabrication Floor
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Stage 4
Boxes are sorted then stored or transported by
refrigerated truck
Holding Cooler And Shipping
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Stage 4 (continued)
Holding Cooler And Shipping
Retailer and/or Foodservice
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Traceability Challenge

• Forward and Backward Traceability and
  Identification Possible
• Animal/Carcass
• Specialized (non-commodity) programs
• Electronic systems
• Box of beef cuts
• Normal production
• Food safety recall purposes, i.e. E. coli O157H7

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Traceability Challenge

• Group (lot) Traceability vs. Individual Animal ID
• BSE requirements, i.e. BEV, SRMs
• Understanding the Fabrication Stage
• Not a linear process
• Becomes a function of time or batch
• Animal ID disconnection
• Beef trimmings

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Traceability Challenge

• NAIS is Live Animal Traceback
• Beyond live animal or whole carcass ID is not
  discussed or required
• Linear Traceability
• Disconnection between carcass and beef products
• New ID methods are costly, complicated and not
  full proof
• Trolley Tracking System, DNA testing

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Further Challenges

• Byproducts/Offal
• Segregated prior to carcass id
• Other items (fat, bones) commingled during
  process
• Traceability to end product practically
  impossible
• Ground Beef/Hamburger
• Batch several combos of trimmings

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Summary

• Not A Carcass Based Industry
• Disassembly Process
• Nonlinear Flow at Fabrication
• NAIS is a Live Animal ID System Only
• Existence of Economic Incentives will be a Key to
  Implementing Farm-to-Fork Traceability