BEEF QUALITY ASSURANCE
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Are all medicated feed additives illegal? ANSW✅✅No, but you can only legally use FDA approved
medicated feed additives
- ELDU is ILLEGAL, regardless of who recommends it
What drugs are covered under the VFD? ANSW✅✅Feed additives require a VFD, while water Abx
require prescription
Yield grades of meat/carcass quality
- what do they look at? scale used? ANSW✅✅Look at the actual amount of product the carcass is
carrying
- scale from 1-5 (1 = highest yield, 5 = lowest yield)
Why is genetics so important in carcass quality?
- 3 reasons ANSW✅✅1) The yield of lean meat is reduced by excess external fat and inadequate
muscling
2) Muscling is highly heritable
3) Goal is to increase carcass uniformity
What are the 3 main carcass quality issues at slaughter? ANSW✅✅1) Injection site
lesions/abscesses - decrease tenderness up to 3" from lesions
2) Bruising
3) Hide damage - use good external parasite control and proper branding methods
Dark cutters (at slaughter)
- what is it?
- what is it caused by? ANSW✅✅Meat is dark, firm, and dry at slaughter
- caused by stress, which depletes glycogen stores --> drop in pH of meat
, The sale of market cows and bulls accounts for ____ % of all US beef consumption? ANSW✅✅25%
of all US beef consumption
- typically processed supermarket products and fast food sandwiches
What are 7 reasons for losses on market value of a cow/bull carcass? ANSW✅✅Bruises
Injection site lesions
Hide damage
Poor condition (low BCS, lame, etc)
Excess fat
Abx residues
Systemic disease
What are 5 reasons you should use low-stress handling? ANSW✅✅- slow is faster
- handler/animal safety
- reduced repair costs
- better meat quality
- increased cattle productivity
What are 4 guidelines on design for cattle handling facility to maximize cattle comfort?
ANSW✅✅1) Cattle will balk at shadows, puddles, mvmt, or change in floor surface
2) Cattle move better through curved chutes with solid sides
3) Avoid slippery surfaces
4) Keep facilities in good order
What are some possible sources of disease introduction that must be controlled via biosecurity
protocols? ANSW✅✅- Cattle: new animals, show animals
- Employee clothing and footwear
- Water sources
- Fomites between farms
- Wildlife/pets
- Feed
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Are all medicated feed additives illegal? ANSW✅✅No, but you can only legally use FDA approved
medicated feed additives
- ELDU is ILLEGAL, regardless of who recommends it
What drugs are covered under the VFD? ANSW✅✅Feed additives require a VFD, while water Abx
require prescription
Yield grades of meat/carcass quality
- what do they look at? scale used? ANSW✅✅Look at the actual amount of product the carcass is
carrying
- scale from 1-5 (1 = highest yield, 5 = lowest yield)
Why is genetics so important in carcass quality?
- 3 reasons ANSW✅✅1) The yield of lean meat is reduced by excess external fat and inadequate
muscling
2) Muscling is highly heritable
3) Goal is to increase carcass uniformity
What are the 3 main carcass quality issues at slaughter? ANSW✅✅1) Injection site
lesions/abscesses - decrease tenderness up to 3" from lesions
2) Bruising
3) Hide damage - use good external parasite control and proper branding methods
Dark cutters (at slaughter)
- what is it?
- what is it caused by? ANSW✅✅Meat is dark, firm, and dry at slaughter
- caused by stress, which depletes glycogen stores --> drop in pH of meat
, The sale of market cows and bulls accounts for ____ % of all US beef consumption? ANSW✅✅25%
of all US beef consumption
- typically processed supermarket products and fast food sandwiches
What are 7 reasons for losses on market value of a cow/bull carcass? ANSW✅✅Bruises
Injection site lesions
Hide damage
Poor condition (low BCS, lame, etc)
Excess fat
Abx residues
Systemic disease
What are 5 reasons you should use low-stress handling? ANSW✅✅- slow is faster
- handler/animal safety
- reduced repair costs
- better meat quality
- increased cattle productivity
What are 4 guidelines on design for cattle handling facility to maximize cattle comfort?
ANSW✅✅1) Cattle will balk at shadows, puddles, mvmt, or change in floor surface
2) Cattle move better through curved chutes with solid sides
3) Avoid slippery surfaces
4) Keep facilities in good order
What are some possible sources of disease introduction that must be controlled via biosecurity
protocols? ANSW✅✅- Cattle: new animals, show animals
- Employee clothing and footwear
- Water sources
- Fomites between farms
- Wildlife/pets
- Feed
