assuring (poultry and rabbits) (poultry and rabbits) a guide for youth livestock producers Stephen R Schafer, EdD 2007 University of Wyoming

Quality Assurance: (poultry and rabbits) Wyoming 4-H…QA Training for Youth Poultry and Rabbit Quality Assurance Training, Information, and Materials were partially adapted from Nebraska 4-H…YQA Materials. Wyoming YQA Team (poultry and rabbits): Dawn Sanchez, Wayne Tatman, Tammie Jensen, Ron Cunningham, and Steve Schafer

WHAT is Quality Assurance? Quality: Are products good to eat? Are they safe and healthy? Do they taste good? Are they tender?Assurance: A pledge or a promise To consumers from producers

The food from our animals will be the highest possible quality and we will do everything we can to make these products (meat, eggs, fur, etc) safe.

WHY Quality Assurance? Improves care and management Avoids drug residues Increases quality of product Increases product value

WAS there a problem? Injection site lesions …. were common Drug residues …. in meat, eggs, milk Broken needles …. in meat Bruised carcasses & poor meat quality …. due to poor handling

Meat Quality Decrease Infection… Dirty Needle?

What about TODAY? Producers get a big thumbs up because: Residue levels …. have greatly decreased Broken needles …. incidence rate is much lower Injection site lesions….much less common Bruised carcasses & poor meat quality …. much improved

Packer Requirements Mandatory Quality Assurance Other Requirements Excel

Rabbit & Poultry Quality Assurance

Food Safety --- Is still very important to consumers! Producers also care about food safety! Quality Assurance is a way for producers to inform consumers about their products and the quality of the products they produce! Food Safety/Quality Assurance have the common goal of making sure that all meat, milk, eggs, fur, and other animal products are safe, wholesome, and healthy!

Who Should Be Responsible? Gate to Plate or Farm to Fork …Coop to Soup……Duck to Dinner… Producer -- Packer--Retail/Food Service--Consumer

Who Should Be Responsible? Gate to Plate or Farm to Fork …Rabbit to Roast……Bunny to Brunch… Producer -- Packer--Retail/Food Service--Consumer

WHO is responsible for QA? Everyone Everyone involved in food production! Livestock producers Food processors –Meat processing plants –Milk processing plants –Egg processing plants –Any plant processing animal products Grocery stores & restaurants Consumers

Food Supply Continuum Consumer Food Service Service Retail Processing Harvesting Marketing Transportation Producer

Youth producers should understand: Consumers have a right to expect a safe, healthy, and wholesome food supply. Every producer, regardless of farm size, has a responsibility to meet consumer expectations. Quality Assurance practices are beneficial to consumers, processors, producers, & animals. Every producer, the livestock industry, and the 4-H/FFA programs are affected when there is negative publicity about youth livestock projects and/or youth livestock shows/sales.

Your Role in Quality Assurance: Daily Care and Management Prevention (Disease and Harm) Handling (Carcass/Product Quality) Medication (Administering and Records)

Daily Care and Management What is involved? Identification & Records Feed & Water Housing & Facilities

Prevention (Disease and Harm) Why….to provide higher quality product How Control visitor access to housing facility Prevent pet access to housing facility Prevent wildlife from entering housing facility Keep all equipment in proper working order Keep an eye out for other possible hazards

Handling Why… How an animal is treated and handled affects: –the animal (temperament and behavior…stress) –the quality and quantity of meat –the quality and quantity of other products (milk, eggs, fur, etc) What… The proper techniques and methods of –feeding and watering the animal –giving injections (sites and types) –moving and transporting the animal

Medication Medication comes in the form of injections, pills, powders, and other purchased additives It is also found in most/many animal feeds Regardless of the form, the withdrawl time period must be observed (read label for time period) Label (feed tag or medicine instructions) will also specify how much to give and how often to give it Label will also state the purpose of the product

Medicine & Feed Labels The labels contain this valuable information:

Medication/Injections Whenever an injection (or other medication) is given to an animal, a written record should be kept The record should include: the name and purpose of medication when/how much medication was given how it was given (injection, in water/feed, etc) if injection…where it was given on animal the withdrawl period and ending date of withdrawl period If an injection was used to give the medicine, it is important to know where it should be given to the animal….this is known as the injection site or sites

Injections Many medications are available, and many of them have specific instructions/directions for injection Different types of injections….SQ, IM, & IV.

Injections: Poultry & Rabbits Do not give more than.5 to 1ml (also known as.5 to 1cc) per injection/injection site More than this amount can cause swelling and other problems for the animal More than this amount will cause serious problems for meat/product quality

Injection Sites It is important that injections are given in a place and manner so that minimum harm is done to the animal, quality/quantity of meat or other products For Rabbits….

Injection Sites It is important that injections are given in a place and manner so that minimum harm is done to the animal, quality/quantity of meat or other products For Poultry….

Injection Sites For Poultry….(schematic drawings/illustrations) Not Recommended Recommended

REMEMBER…Quality Assurance IS A promise from livestock producers and animal product processors to the consumers…and this promise centers on: Safe, healthy, and good tasting/beneficial products The food from our animals will be the highest possible quality and we will do everything we can to make these products (meat, eggs, fur, etc) safe, wholesome, and beneficial.

Your Role in the QA Promise: (reviewing, learning, and following these guidelines, will help keep our promise to consumers) Daily Care and Management Prevention (Disease and Harm) Handling (Carcass/Product Quality) Medication (Administering and Records)