News Update

News Update
Sept. 19, 2007

FMD Case Continues in UK

Another temporary control zone was established this afternoon as a precautionary measure to protect against another potential case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom (UK), officials there report.

The United Kingdom’s (UK’s) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) today announced the zone encompasses a premises in the Solihull region. DEFRA stressed the move as a precautionary measure as it awaits an assessment of clinical symptoms by Animal Health veterinary staff and laboratory test results.

According to the agency, FMD has not yet been confirmed.

“It remains essential for animal keepers to practice the highest standards of biosecurity, remain vigilant for disease and report any suspicions immediately,” stated a news release posted on the DEFRA site.

Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds today also confirmed the presence of antibodies for FMD in cattle at a premises where the disease was confirmed yesterday (infected premises 5). Postmortem examination revealed FMD lesions, some more than 10 days old, DEFRA reported.

Reynolds called on UK cattle producers to inspect animals susceptible to FMD twice a day.

“It is absolutely vital that farmers remain vigilant and adhere to strict biosecurity measures and license conditions. This is a disease which can be easily spotted in its early stages. Immediate reporting of any suspicions is critical to the control of this disease. Welfare codes already require that animals are inspected at least once a day. I am now urging that these checks are carried out twice a day given the current circumstances,” she said.

According to DEFRA, limited movements have been permitted outside the surveillance zone for animals going direct to slaughter; however, the national movement ban remains firmly in place.

For further information visit www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth.

USDA Expands Allowable Imports from Canada

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Sept. 14 announced that it will expand the list of allowable imports from countries recognized as presenting a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the United States. Currently, Canada is the only minimal-risk country designated by the United States.

“This rule is firmly based in science and ensures that we continue to protect the U.S. against BSE,” said Bruce Knight, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. “It also is consistent with our commitment to promote fair trade practices and further normalizes trade with countries that institute the appropriate safeguards to prevent the spread of BSE.”

This rule makes final a proposed rule published in the Jan. 9, 2007, Federal Register. It also builds upon and expands the rule published by APHIS in January 2005 that allowed the importation of certain live ruminants and ruminant products, including cattle under 30 months of age for slaughter from countries recognized as minimal risk.

The final rule announced Friday allows for the importation from Canada of:

• Live cattle and other bovines (i.e., bison) for any use (including breeding) born on or after, March 1, 1999, which APHIS has determined to be the date of effective enforcement of Canada’s ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban;
• Blood and blood products derived from bovines, collected under certain conditions; and
• Casings and part of the small intestine derived from bovines.

The January 2005 final rule, the first MRR rule, allowed the importation of Canadian bovine meat and meat products of any age. Subsequent to the publication of the final rule in January 2005, USDA delayed the applicability of those provisions of that final rule that dealt with meat and meat products from animals 30 months of age or older.

With this final rule, which will be published shortly, that temporary delay in applicability is lifted and importation of these meat and meat products now can occur.

There are a series of interlocking safeguards in place to protect animal health from BSE transmission. These longstanding safeguards include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban, import controls, aggressive disease surveillance and U.S. slaughter practices.

Moreover, human health in the United States also is protected by another system of interlocking safeguards that ensure the safety of U.S. beef. The most important of these safeguards is the ban on specified risk materials from the food supply. Canada has similar safeguards in place.

The final rule becomes effective Nov. 19, 2007. Additional information is available at www.aphis.usda.gov.

— Release provided by USDA.

It’s not, “Where’s the Beef?” It is, “How’s your Beef?” And, Consumers Say, It Must Be Tender

Consumers tell us that tenderness and taste are two of the most important attributes when they are evaluating their beef eating experience. They want tender beef, and are willing to pay for it.

That was the message Keith Belk, professor at Colorado State University’s Center for Red Meat Quality and Safety, delivered to agricultural editors and other participants at a Sensory Evaluation Briefing and Wet Lab held at Iowa State University. The training session was hosted by Elanco Animal Health as part of its continuing effort to educate beef producers on the importance of tenderness of the beef they produce.

Tenderness is an important aspect of beef palatability that ultimately drives consumer satisfaction. The beef checkoff’s 2005 National Beef Tenderness Survey shows the industry has made improvements since the 1999 study, but there still are inconsistencies and a need for improvement.

A key factor in beef tenderness is the aging process. Most experts agree beef becomes more tender when it is aged about 21 days. However, according to a number of meat industry experts — including the University of Minnesota Extension department — most of the beef offered for sale as retail cuts in the supermarket is aged five to seven days. Rarely is beef in the retail case aged more than 10 to 14 days.

Aging isn’t the only factor driving beef tenderness. “Quality grades and marbling itself have become extremely important,” Belk says. “Prime and upper two-thirds of Choice-branded beef are in high demand and are returning larger profits back through the production chain. That’s the signal consumers are sending to us. An excellent example of that is the success that Certified Angus Beef LLC® (CAB®) is experiencing.”

Larry Corah, vice president of supply development for CAB, says, “Our single biggest challenge is finding enough cattle that meet our quality specifications. Consumer demand for CAB products is growing faster than our suppliers’ ability to produce them. The beef industry needs to avoid using products or management practices that decrease the marbling or tenderness of the final product. Efficiency is great, but efficiency at the expense of quality or tenderness of the meat is counter-productive for the producer and for the entire beef industry.”

Elanco believes that sensory evaluation training programs like the one held recently at Iowa State University are an important part of producer education. Roy Riggs, director of Elanco’s beef business unit, says “We believe that the first critical step in maintaining beef quality is to raise producer awareness of the importance consumer’s place on tenderness and how tenderness can be measured and managed. We know today’s consumers have many choices of protein. If we want their first choice to be beef, we need to help our producers deliver the tender, tasty product consumers demand each time they purchase beef.”

— Release provided by Elanco Animal Health.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.