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Proper injection sites improve beef qualityBy Jennifer Bremer Injection site blemishes have been a costly problem for the beef industry for many years. However, the Beef Quality Assurance Program has helped improve on this. "Cattlemen have a responsibility to assure that only beef of the highest quality reaches the consumer," said W. Mark Hilton, associate professor of veterinary medicine at Purdue University. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has held a very strong position over the past several years regarding beef safety and quality assurance. The Beef Quality Assurance Program started in 1990 to unite animal scientists, veterinarians, feed suppliers and animal health companies with beef producers and encourage them to use the latest science and technology to improve beef quality, wholesomeness and safety. Today, 98 percent of the cattle going through feedlots and 90 percent of the cattle on farms and ranches are from states with BQA programs. Ryan Ruppert with the producer education division at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association said that injection site lesions were found on 22.5 percent of all beef carcasses tested during the 1991 audit, but in both the 2000 and 2005 audits, that number had decreased to 2.5 percent. "We are pleased that we have seen a 20 percent reduction in injection site blemishes, but we still need to reduce that number even more," he said. The 1991 National Beef Quality Audit concluded the industry lost an average of nearly $280 in quality defects on every fed animal marketed. The majority of this loss was due to excess fat, lack of marbling and other carcass defects, including injection site blemishes. Results from the 2000 audit showed that cattlemen have taken on the challenge of improving the injection site problem. In 2000, 97.5 percent of top sirloin cuts were free of injection site lesions compared to only 78.7 percent in 1991. "While the progress is admirable, the goal is still to have 100 percent lesion free product," said Hilton. "As a national identification system evolves, cattle will be able to be traced to the herd of origin. Cattle without lesions could garner a premium while those with lesions will be discounted." Improper injections can lead to trimming and discarding of expensive cuts. The current costs for these trimmings can be as much as $40 per head, according to Hilton. "Initially, it was thought that feedlots were the primary source of the problem and that the blemishes resulted from injections given when the cattle were processed at the feedlot," he said. Now, it is known that many of those blemishes occur prior to the entry into a feedlot, which is why cow-calf producers should be informed and educated on proper injection sites also. Hilton said that different products can cause larger lesions than others and it is very important to follow injection instructions of the separate vaccines and medications. "The selection of vaccine, proper handling of the biologics and the care and use of syringes and needles has to be emphasized when making decisions to vaccinate cattle," he added. All products cause tissue damage when injected intra-muscularly (IM), therefore it is recommended to not use IM products if possible. An option for IM injection generally appears on the label of most products. IM injections are easier than subcutaneous injections; thus IM injections were most frequently selected. Most IM injections were given in the rear quarter region because the syringe did not have to be carefully guided to hit target on the rear leg or the large muscles adjacent to the tail head. Hilton said that research has shown that any vaccine or drug injected intramuscularly may produce a long-lasting lesion. Even products like penicillin, that have been considered almost innocuous when injected IM, may produce lesions that persist for at least 30 days. The research also showed that injecting more than 10 ml of any product in a site can produce lesions, as can needles larger than 16 gauge. Another finding was that muscle tissue up to 3 inches from the injection site has a decrease in tenderness. The proper and recommended technique for giving injections requires lifting a fold of skin with one hand, forming a "V" or "tent." The needle is inserted through the skin into the space under the skin. The lifting of the skin is necessary to assure that the injection will be subcutaneous. The BQA program has helped certify 60,000 producers on herd management practices that can make or break final product quality. BQA set the quality bar through fed steer/heifer and cow/bull audits, which began to show significant drops in several common areas of pre-harvest injury that can devalue the carcass. Helping producers learn how proper herd management directly impacts the consistency, tenderness and marketability of beef has been a major BQA success. All segments of the beef industry--cow-calf producer, stocker/backgrounders, feedlot operators, veterinarians and animal health companies--should be concerned with proper beef quality assurance. Hilton stressed that adopting the proper practice recommendations will help provide a product that is safe and healthy for the end user--the consumer. Jennifer Bremer can be reached by phone at 641-938-2342 or by e-mail at jbremermaj@hotmail.com. A 1 4/9/07 None Date: 4/5/07
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