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 & Western Center for Risk Management Education Western Extension Marketing Committee

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

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

Stage 1 Feedlot Slaughter or Harvest Cattle are sorted according to various specifications i.e. breed, degree of finish, live weight Packer Operations Animal processed into carcass; hides removed, etc.

Stage 2 Cooler Carcasses are sorted and assigned into batches

Stage 3 Fabrication Floor Batches are broken down into primals, sub-primals and cuts; products are boxed

Stage 4 Holding Cooler And Shipping Boxes are sorted then stored or transported by refrigerated truck

Stage 4 (continued) Holding Cooler And Shipping Retailer and/or Foodservice

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 O157:H7

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

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

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

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