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 CenterLakewood, Colorado

Email: robb@lmic.info & rosa@lmic.info

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

FeedlotSlaughter 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

CoolerCarcasses 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 CoolerAnd

Shipping

Boxes are sorted then stored or transported by

refrigerated truck

Stage 4 (continued)

Holding CoolerAnd

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