assuring
a guide for youth livestock
producers
2005 Programs - 1
WHAT is Quality
Assurance?
Quality: “a degree of excellence”
 What is “excellence” in livestock
production

–
–
Many different things
Consider the FOOD produced:
how
much do people want to eat it and
how safe is it?

Assurance: a pledge or promise
A producer’s pledge:
–
“The food from our livestock will
be the highest possible quality
and we will do everything we can
to make these products safe to
eat.”
Regardless of how many animals
you raise, what species or breed,
you are producing food that
will end up on someone’s table! 3
WHY Quality Assurance?
 Improves
food quality
 Improves care and management
 Avoids drug residues
 Increases product value
4
Packer Requirements
Mandatory Pork Quality
Assurance
Feed Records and other requirements
5
WAS there a problem?
 Injection
site lesions …. were
common
 Drug residues ….. were found
 Broken needles ….. in meat
 Bruised carcasses & poor meat
quality ….. due to poor handling
6
Eye of Round
Top sirloin
7
What about TODAY?
 Injection
site lesions -- Beef
1990: 20% of
sirloin butts
– 2000: Less than 3%
–
 Drug
residues -- Pork
1987: 7% incidence rate
– 2000: < .3%
–
8
Food Safety -- Is
still very important to consumers!
 Quality assurance is a way to tell
consumers:
Meat and milk are safe,
wholesome products
– Producers care about food safety
–
9
We still have to keep
working at it!
Reduce injection site lesions and
violative drug residues even more
 Provide information for consumers
as traceability of animals becomes a
reality

10
Who Should Be
Responsible?
“Gate to plate” or “Farm to fork”
Producer -- Packer--Retail/Food Service--Consumer
11
Food Supply Continuum
12
Current Regulatory Agencies
Food and Drug Administration
•
•
•
Regulates medicated animal feed and most health
products
Approves products and sets tolerance levels for
antimicrobials
Sets tolerance levels for pesticides used in production
Food Safety and Inspection Service
•Inspects carcasses in packing plants
•Examines plant sanitation
•Approves plant sanitation
13
What is Quality
Assurance
 Based
on HACCP
Hazard
Analysis
Critical
Control
Points
14

Identify hazards
–

To food safety and quality
Identify critical points
–
Where problems can occur
Set limits and control points
 Monitor

–
To make sure things don’t go wrong
Fix it if needed
 Keep records and verify it is working

15
HACCP Example
Scenario – you are having a
problem with injection site lesions
in the sirloins of cattle from your
farm. What are the steps to take
to eliminate this hazard?
1) Identify the Hazard:
Injection site lesions in
sirloin

16
HACCP Example
2) Find Critical Control Points: Injection
technique and location
3) Establish Critical Limits: Only inject in
front of shoulder, use correct needle
size, never inject more than 10 cc in
one location
4) Monitor each control point: Watch
that the critical limits are followed at
all times
17
HACCP Example
5)
Corrective Action: Provide training on needle
sizes, injection sites and techniques
6) Keep Records:
Record all injections,
locations and amounts
7) Verify: Review
farm records and
match with packer
information
18
Where do I fit into HACCP ?

The producer’s responsibility is to supply
the packer with animals that are free from
drug and chemical residues and physical
hazards such as broken needles.
We must also be aware of
withdrawal times because a
packer can’t hold an animal
once delivered to the plant.
19
Understand that …
If you raise livestock, you produce FOOD!
EVERYONE involved has to accept
responsibility.
We all need to continually keep learning
about and improving our practices that
can affect the quality and safety of food
products!
20
Your Role in Quality
Assurance:
2005:
Daily Care & Management
Prevention
2006 (or 2003):
Animal Handling
Carcass & Product Quality
2007 (or 2004):
Medications &
Health Products
21
Activity Time 1:
Caring for your Animals worksheet
OR
Creating A HACCP Plan activity
OR
Food Supply Continuum puzzle
22
Daily Care and
Management
 What
is involved?
Feed &
23
Identificaton
 Why?
1. Proof of ownership
2. Record medications
3. Good management …..
Weaning weights, average daily
gain & more
24
Types of identification:
Tattoo
Brand
Ear Notch
And …..Electronic Identification
Tag
Brisket
Tag
Ankle
Band
25
What’s new in ID?
 EID
– Electronic IDentification (ie
scannable eartags)
 Premise ID – Producers, feedlots,
sale barns and others “register”
their premise (location)
 NAIS: National Animal
Identification System
26
NAIS
 Linked
to “traceability” of animals
 USDA working on details
 System expected to be in place
sometime during 2005.
See Reference: “The National Animal Identification System:
Basics, Blueprint, Timelines, and Processes”
http://www.lmic.info/memberspublic/animalID/IDframe.html
27
Other new things in ID
 DNA
testing
Not for commercial use – 4-H, FFA
and other shows
– Process matches hair samples taken
at nomination/identification to those
taken at Fair
– To be used for Ak-Sar-Ben lambs in
2005
–
28
Ear Notching Identification
Right Ear
Left Ear
29
Activity Time 2:
Identification Activity
30
Test Your Ear
Notching Skills
9+3 =12
1+1 =2
12-2
31
Daily Care and
Management
Feeding

–
1.
2.
3.
4.
Key points:
Read the label
Use high quality feeds
Feed the right amount
Water!!
32
Reading a Feed Label
 All
purchased feeds will have:
List of ingredients
– Feed analysis
– How much to feed
–
33
Reading a Feed Label
 Some
feeds may be medicated, and
have more information:
Animals it can legally be fed to
– The medication in the feed
– Warnings and Withdrawal time of feed
–
34
Withdrawal Time
The time from when an animal
receives a drug to when it can be
harvested, or the milk can be
used, without having a drug
residue.
Residue is the portion of
the medication that may remain
in the animal’s body tissues.
2005 Programs - 35
Use High Quality Feeds
 Meet
nutritional needs
Percent protein
– Vitamins and minerals
– Fiber content
–
 Clean
and free of wire,
manure, mold, etc
36
Use High Quality Feeds
 Properly
stored
Dry & clean
– Away from rodents and
other animals
– Not too old
– Away from possible contamination
– Labeled
–
37
Feed the Right
Amount
To grow and gain weight, animals need
adequate feed
 As a general rule of thumb – most
animals will eat about 2 to 2 ½ % of
their body weight

–
–
Varies some with species, market vs
breeding, and type of feed
Example: A 1000 lb steer will eat about 20
to 25 lbs of feed a day
38
 ALWAYS
….
have plenty of clean, fresh
water
Animals will die in 1 - 3 days without
water
– Shortage of, or poor quality water will
affect performance
–
39
Activity Time 3:
Feeding & Watering
OR
Reading a Feed Label Activity
40
Suggested Handouts


Pork Board’s “Just the Facts”:
Dehydration: The Need for Water
Questions:
1)
2)
3)
What happens to growth rate when water
is restricted?
What is salt poisoning?
What are 4 symptoms of dehydration?
41
 Pens
Don’t overcrowd
– Clean, dry bedding
– No nails or sharp objects sticking out
– Clean feed bunks and water
–
42
 Weather
conditions….
Protect from extremes
- Shade, fans, misters
- Added shelter
43
Activity Time 4:
Space & Housing Activity
1 or 2
44
Suggested Handouts:


Pork Board’s “Just the Facts”: Swine
Welfare
Questions:
1)
2)
3)
What is “welfare” of the animal?
Name 3 responsibilities a producer has
in regard to animal welfare.
What is SWAP?
45
Prevention
 Preventing
problems before they
happen makes quality assurance
easier for everyone and more
effective!
46
Prevention
 Teach




your family about QA!
Maintain ID’s
Keep records!
Watch for signs of illness
Avoid contamination of feeds
47
Prevention
 Develop
a plan
Vaccinations
– Talk to your vet
– Feeding schedules
–
 Follow
–
QA methods at all times
Consult a veterinarian if a problem
occurs
48
Activity Time 5:
Prevention Activity
49
Review
 WHAT
is quality assurance?
 WHY
is it important?
 WHO
is responsible?
50
Review
 Daily
Care & Management
Identification
– Feeding & watering
– Housing
–
 Prevention
51