Gundagai Meat Processors (GMP) red meat pilot trial

Key points

• As part of the trial, an animal disease data capture system was implemented on the plant’s slaughter floor and Australian Authorised Officers (AAOs) were trained to use this new system.
• The trial determined that the plant could successfully record individual carcase data on numerous diseases and defects, although with certain challenges that are currently being addressed.
• This trial also led to the development of severity scoring system case study for arthritis. This scoring system found that the average proportion of carcase loss across all mobs due to this condition was 4.6% of hot standard carcase weight (HSCW), which ranged from 1.1% and 20.4%. This equates to costs ranging from $2.95 for a forequarter shank to $18.08 for a hind quarter leg.

Introduction

The purpose of the Gundagai Meat Processors (GMP) animal disease data pilot study was to demonstrate the value of sharing and utilising disease and defect data along the supply chain to improve productivity and profitability.

The project was part of the red meat pilot trials for the Rural Research & Development for Profit project Health 4 Wealth.

While many meat processing recording systems are already in place, data collection and feedback on disease-related carcase and offal condemnations varies considerably. The Health 4 Wealth project aims to introduce a standardised, comprehensive approach to data collection and feedback on disease-related carcase and offal condemnations. This will allow producers to monitor disease prevalence in their livestock and make informed decisions to maximise yield outcomes.

Objectives

The objectives of the GMP Animal Disease Data Pilot Study project were to:

1. Demonstrate that individual and lot-based animal disease and defect data can be effectively and efficiently transferred to producers through existing industry infrastructure such as NLIS and LDL.
2. Demonstrate that animal disease and defect data can be correlated to an individual animal where individual ID is present.
3. Determine if the cost of animal disease and defects can be recorded and calculated reliably, and if this information will be valuable as feedback to producers.
4. Provide animal disease and defect inspection information to producers to assist them in making better informed decisions regarding on-farm practices to improve livestock/carcase performance.
5. Provide learnings that can be incorporated into the wider Health 4 Wealth project.
6. Provide recommendations that can be incorporated into the NLIS and LDL project plan to develop systems capability in the animal health area if the proof of concept is successful.

Methodology

The first stage of this project was to determine the diseases and defects to focus on within the project.

The critical disease and defects observed at GMP include pleurisy, bladder worm, bruising, vaccination lesions, sheep measles, arthritis, and nephritis. To reduce the number of diseases and defects recorded at the offal station and retain rail whilst the Australian Authorised Officers (AAOs) were learning the system, two diseases and defects were selected for each recording area:

1. nephritis and bladder worm at the offal trays
2. pleurisy and arthritis at the retain rail.

An animal disease data capture system was installed on the slaughter floor. Installation included embedding the Draft Australian National Standard for the Development, Collection and Reporting of Animal Health Data in the on-floor software system and installing hardware to facilitate data capture (i.e. touch screens, number pads, RFID readers linked to a hook tracking system to allow data capture against individual carcases).

AAOs working at the plant were heavily involved in the decision-making during the installation. Communication with meat inspectors was important to assist in the changes impacting their roles.

Emphasis was placed on ensuring dialogue about the importance of recording disease and defect information, as well as the system changes that would occur.

AAOs were trained to use the new system. Data collection trials were then held to ensure system changes allowed meat inspectors enough time to collect data and that their duties were not compromised. This was tested at the gambrel up station, evisceration trays and retain rail. Work instructions were drafted considering the amendments required to ensure AAO duties are not compromised.

Following this, a case study to develop a severity scoring system for arthritis was conducted. The scoring system consisted of four categories of arthritis trim (foreshank, hindshank, foreleg and hindleg). The average proportion of carcase loss across all mobs was 4.6% of hot standard carcase weight (HSCW), which ranged from 1.1% and 20.4%. This equated to a cost of range from $2.95 for a forequarter shank to $18.08 for a hind quarter leg. 

Results

As a result of participating in the data pilot GMP reached the following conclusions:

1. A system to record individual carcase disease and defects can be implemented within sheep processing plant, although with challenges.
2. A clear vision of how the data will be distributed and used is extremely important to ensure there is patience and a commitment to ensuring success. An assigned staff member to consistently drive the project is important for success.
3. It is possible to achieve an enhanced feedback system to producers, including cost of disease as this relates to carcase trim and revenue losses.

Benefit for industry

The project has presented many opportunities for producers and for GMP. The capture of individual disease and defect information provides more transparency to producers and the ability to link different pieces of information back to individual carcases (such as HSCW and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) information), allowing producers to make informed management decisions on farm in relation to their lambs. For GMP, the introduction of a more accurate system will remove the paper-based system currently used by AAOs for the National Sheep Health Monitoring Project and remove the need to estimate the incidence of disease within lines of lambs.

Future research and recommendations

The project identified many challenges associated with a standardized, comprehensive approach to data collection of disease-related carcase and offal condemnations and feedback from sheep processors to producers. These ranged from IT systems to changes in the process on the slaughter floor to hardware issues.

Useful resources

Health 4 Wealth Rural Research and Development for Profit 

Rural Research and Development for Profit 

More information on Livestock Data Link