could become a “black eye” for you and the en- tire industry, says Trevor Caviness, president of Caviness Beef Packers in Hereford and Amarillo. “We’re making a strong effort to educate ranch-
ers on the problem with buckshot,” Caviness says, adding that the company is tracing back buckshot-wounded carcasses to the origin of the cattle to isolate the problem. “We’ve started no- tifying suppliers, ranchers and sale barns, that
A marred beef carcass can mar beef’s reputation.
Whether it’s called buckshot or birdshot, Caviness Packers reports fi nding an average of 2 carcasses per day with foreign matter embedded.
Beef Quality Assurance concerns
“If an animal has been on the receiving end of birdshot, the carcass may have to be condemned. For a 600-pound carcass, that’s an $800 to $900 loss,” says Dan Hale, Texas AgriLife Extension beef cattle economist.
Hale has been a leader in helping conduct, then analyze national Beef Quality Audits since the early 1990s. “With the cutout value of carcasses at $160 to $165 a hundredweight in January, losses can be huge for packers,” he says. “It can be a big problem.”
There are other losses that can rip away carcass value. Hides, in demand by car and truck manufacturers for seats, can see their value sliced away. “A branded hide is worth about $60,” Hale says. “If there is a single hole in the middle, it must be cut in half. It’s then worth about $30. If a cow has been shot in the rear end, you have pretty much ruined the hide.”
In 1999, the Market Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit revealed that more than 10,000 head of non-fed slaughter cattle were condemned due to the presence of lead shot. In fact, the presence of buckshot/birdshot ranked third on the list of packer concerns. Only bruises and antibiotic residues ranked higher.
Best management practices
To prevent buckshot situations, the fi rst step is, obviously, never use a shotgun to gather cattle. Also, work with hunters to prevent shoot ing cattle with any weapon. Educate hunters to the
potential safety concerns associated with adulterated carcasses. Remove cattle from hunting areas when possible to avoid accidental shootings.
For more on the problems with buckshot and other foreign matter in carcasses, contact Cattle Procurement at Caviness Beef Packers, 806-357-2333. Also, visit the Caviness website at
cavinessbeefpackers.com.
60 The Cattleman April 2013
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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