Meat&Poultry -- August 2014 - 82

From the Corral
BY DR. TEMPLE GRANDIN
meatpoultry@sosland.com

Unpacking findings
I 

recently returned from China and

they had purchased a modern European

Brazil and had the opportunity to

slaughter line. The plant was spotless. They

visit cattle operations and meat plants. To

understand the concept of keeping the plant

summarize the two trips in one word, it

clean, but they needed help to learn how

would be "vigorous." The cattle industry

to correctly use a down hide-puller. The

in Brazil is surprisingly youthful. When I

thing that impressed me was their eagerness

attended a large cattle-industry meeting,

to improve. When I was there, they were

there were a lot of young people in

doing it right. Handling of pigs and cattle

attendance. They are eager to learn and

in both plants was excellent and they were

they are quickly learning specifics about

quietly moving small groups. I visited three

animal handling, including methods

different cities outside of Beijing. One of

to reduce bruises and improve beef

the most interesting parts of the trip was

quality-assurance procedures.

looking at agriculture as we drove for up to

US producers have learned

90 minutes to access the plants. They grow

to prevent injection damage and

different crops side-by-side - I saw rice

inject vaccines and medications in

paddies and corn in adjacent fields.

the neck. In Brazil, they are going to
need to upgrade handling facilities and
install better cattle-restraining systems so

Dairy focus
I also visited a huge dairy farm. There

vaccines can be given in the neck. It is still

were spacious, wide, sand-bedded stalls for

a common practice on Brazilian ranches to

the cows to lie in, and two modern rotary

line cattle up single file and give injections.

milking parlors. The cows were clean, and

For some ranchers, giving injections while

in great condition. Their body condition

each animal is held in the squeeze chute is

and walking mobility was excellent. One

a new concept. In the university veterinary

reason for this was the use of Australian

schools, animal welfare is being added to

and New Zealand dairy cows that produce

the curriculum so they can comply with

slightly less milk, but are heartier.

international standards. Many students

The dairy industry is also developing an

were very interested in learning about ways

extensive beef business. Unlike our dairy

to reduce both stress and bruises.

industry, they are fully aware that old dairy

In China, I visited three meat-packing

cows have a second career as beef cattle.

plants that all had good standards. In

All the bull calves are being grown for beef.

many parts of the world, a major driver of

In China and most of Asia, bulls are kept

improved humane standards at slaughter

intact and no beta-agonists or hormones

is established by McDonald's Corp. and

will be used. They will use the hormones

other large meat buyers. I presented

that are provided for free with an intact bull.

lectures and auditor training to people in

When bulls are kept in pen-mate groups,

the Asian McDonald's supply chain on

aggression was not an issue. The bull calves

humane handling and slaughter of pigs and

will be sold for beef before they reach sexual

cattle. They were eager to learn welfare

maturity at 18 to 24 months of age. ■

concepts such as measuring indicators of
stunning efficiency, vocalization, falling and
electric prod use. In the beef plant I visited,

82

* Meat&Poultry * August 2014 * www.MeatPoultry.com

Dr. Temple Grandin operates Grandin Livestock Systems
Inc., Fort Collins, Colo., and is a faculty member in the
animal science department at Colorado State Univ.
http://www.MeatPoultry.com
Meat&Poultry -- August 2014

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