ANTHRAX.

 

The effects of stress on Livestock and meat quality prior to and during slaughter.

 The effects of stress on Livestock and meat quality prior to and during slaughter.

Animal welfare hammers on 5 freedoms for animals among these are : 1) freedom from pain,injury and disease.

2) Freedom from hunger and thirst.

3)Freedom to express normal natural behavior.

4)Freedom from discomfort.

5)Freedom from fear and distress.

The aforementioned freedoms can be referred to holistically as freedom from stress. Stress impacts health, production, productivity as well as carcass quality in Livestock. 

The effects of stress on Livestock and meat quality prior to and during slaughter.

Animals presented for slaughtering in a stress free environment has natural conversion of muscle to meat, PH  will fall from 7 to about 5.4-5.7. The meat quality is excellent and has bright red color.

Animals that experience stress 24-48 hours prior slaughter have meat quality compromised.The PH does not fall to optimum level staying higher resulting in beef with darker color. The beef  is dark, firm to touch and has high fluid holding  capacity. This is referred to as dark, firm and dry.(DFD). Beef that are DFD have poor storing capacity and prone to bacterial spoilage.

Animals that are stressed  45 minutes prior to slaughter also give beef of low quality.The short period of stress prior to slaughter will cause a rapid drop of PH..This drop will result in beef of lighter color, softer texture which feels wet with reduced capacity to hold water. This type of beef is referred to as soft, pale and exudative.(PSE)

Rancher sentenced for running $244m ‘ghost cattle’ scam.

 

Rancher sentenced for running $244m ‘ghost cattle’ scam. A cattle rancher in Washington has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for defrauding Tyson Foods and another company out of more than $244 million by charging the victim companies for the purported costs of purchasing and feeding hundreds of thousands of cattle that did not exist. 

 According to court documents, Cody Allen Easterday used his company, Easterday Ranches Inc., to enter into a series of agreements with the companies under which Easterday Ranches agreed to purchase and feed cattle for them. Per the agreements, Tyson and the other company would advance Easterday Ranches the costs of buying and raising the cattle. Once the cattle were slaughtered and sold at market price, Easterday Ranches would repay the costs advanced – plus interest and certain other costs – retaining the difference as profit.( READ BEEF MAGAZINE ON SIDE BAR.)

Public health importance of improving the red meat value chain.

 

Meat hygiene is of paramount importance in the red meat value chain because of meat borne diseases.Meat borne diseases refers to conditions that originates from consuming diseased meat.Meat borne diseases can be of various origins such as bacteria, viral, parasitic and also allergens.

It is important to note that 60% of pathogens that affect man are from animals, this is referred to as zoonosis.

The implication of this is that our association with animals make us susceptible to certain diseases which can easily be prevented with the right knowledge.The failure to carry out the right action is the cause of several unexplainable deaths and chronic conditions. 

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Public health importance of meat hygiene and safety.

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RED MEAT VALUE CHAIN: Processing And Packaging Options.

Red meat can be hygienically packaged and sold in meat shops. The packaging are usually of different parts or as specified by customers. The packaging can be in clear transparent bags that are air tight or the use of food trays for easy stacking in chillers. 

                    

Meat can be processed further by frying, this is packaged in beautiful handy packs . The packaging can be plates,trays or decorated bags. Women in beef processing  have various ways to prepare and process beef and beef products.

          

 Meat can be processed into beef jerky. This is done by cutting meat into thin slices, add spices then dry to produce the jerky. This delicacy is a spicy variety of  processed red meat popularly called, KILISHI.

 The export potential of this product is very high and the profit margin is high.  The  product is light ,easy to pack and very handy to ship out.

                                            

                                 

 Spicy beef jerky.

      Other processing options?  See                           

AGRIBUSINESS: MEAT SHARING AND CROWD COW IN THE RED MEAT VALUE CHAIN.

 We have been discussing about franchising as an option in the red meat value chain.  Discussions have spanned various models of making profit in the red meat value chain from owning an abattoir to running a meat shop.

Livestock business 

  The force of collaborations in form of franchising to grow a business is a tested and proven strategy. Crowd sourcing method can be remolded and used in the red meat value chain. Meat sharing aptly termed crowd cow.  scenario 4 

  Meat sharing and crowd cow: interested in the red meat value chain but dont fit into any other highlighted options? Then this is for you.

   Meat sharing and crowd cow; this method allows various individuals to buy parts of a cow, the cow is only slaughtered when all parts are sold. These are then dispatched to individuals or they pick up at your shop. 

                             

Meat sharing and crowd cow is  risk free because interested buyers pay before cow is delivered.  The business strategy is crowdfunding, different individuals are paying for shares in a cow. It is the business owner that will determine price per share based on the price of cow he intends to purchase.

 The meat sharing and crowd cow needs an advertising platform to get people informed of operation. The platform will announce dates and time of crowd cow with timeline to opt -in. When the  target is reached then the business owner moves in the abattoir to slaughter and pack the beef as desired by investor.

 Advantages of this model is 1) No risk attached because you pay to opt-in. 2) No waste or loss because the client has paid and must pick up . 3) No extra cost of freezing left-overs. 4) Business is based on demand per time, no slaughtering on  assumptions. 5) Minimal cost of start -up, a social media page and means of dispatch is all you need.

Agricultural franchising : leveraging on franchising to build your business.

 Franchising, this model grants an individual rights to sell their goods or services under a registered brand identity. This model allows an entrepreneur jump on the success train by starting a business  with a successful brand,thus cutting the rigors of starting a new business, a new brand. 

 Franchising is leveraging on an already established brand to start a business and its a win-win model. The franchisor uses this model as a growth strategy to expand brand while the franchisee is joining a successful brand, riding on the brand's network.

 Agricultural franchising, leveraging on this model to grow your brand by establishing global networks.Agricultural franchising will create better opportunities for empowerment while creating brand awareness in every nook and crannies .Agricultural franchising using the lean startup model will create greater coverage within a short time.

 Agricultural franchising  is a viable model in value chain creation and expansion. It allows various individuals to find a niche in the value chain, locate a  successful key player in the niche and start a franchise.

         

 Dr. Henrietta Ojuri, value chain strategist.

Agricultural franchising in the context of the red meat value chain. Interested in the red meat value chain,but dont  have  money to own an abattoir or livestock hubs? Look at how you can key in, using the franchising model.

 There are registered meat shops with branded products, from traceable abattoirs. An investor interested in the  red meat value chain can hook up with these brands and start a franchise in another part of town. The advantages of starting a franchise in the meat mart niche is as follows: 

1) low  startup cost . 2) building business on an established brand identity 3) potential for expansion of business. 

  To be continued.

AGRIBUSINESS: RED MEAT VALUE CHAIN.

 Red meat value chain is a lucrative business with potential for both local and foreign markets.. 

The red meat value chain  spans from the farm, to the processing of wholesome beef ,to export of by-products ,use of the waste for biogas and fertilizer.

The red meat value chain holds enormous possibilities with several sub units or subsections that can flood your  bank account with millions.

 The red meat value chain; interested in starting an abattoir? Are you thinking mechanized? fully mechanized or semi mechanized. 

 The choice depends on your project goal,are  you  thinking of starting small then scaling up? semi mechanized is for you.  Going all out? then fully automated is your choice.

 The difference between the two types of abattoir are the  machines, equipment and handling protocols. 

  

Slaughterhouses as Sources of Data for Animal Health Intelligence.

 The value of meat inspection as an animal health and food safety surveillance tool has been recognized by a number of agencies and organizations, including, the European Food Safety Authority,because most food animals would eventually be slaughtered, slaughterhouses are considered a key element along the food production chain in which pathological data, information on the presence of pathogens, drug residues, chemical contaminants, and antimicrobial resistance may be measured. 

Slaughterhouses therefore represent an important control point for the early identification of potential problems that may have an impact on public health as well as on animal health and welfare.

 This  affirms the reason why proper operational protocols must be adhered to in abattoirs and slaughter houses. Slaughtering must be carried out in hygienic conditions coupled with proper meat handling and transportation to ensure wholesome beef is available to the populace.

Agribusiness: food safety in Africa’s informal markets must be driven by consumers.

Listeria in processed meat products from South Africa, E. Coli in romaine lettuce in the US, Salmonella in eggs across Europe and Campylobacter in chicken liver pâté in Australia.

These are among the many pathogens and foods at the centre of recent food safety crises worldwide, estimated to impact as many people as infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB.

 But while deaths and illnesses from unsafe food hit countries worldwide, the incidences of these illnesses and lost lives are disproportionately high in Africa.

 Across the continent, tainted food kills about 140 000 people every year, and leaves 91 million more suffering from diarrhoea, tapeworm, hepatitis and even dysentery and typhoid.

 This is on course to become even worse as income growth and urbanization in Africa are enabling better, more diverse diets.

 Ironically, these healthier foods – such as dairy, eggs, meat, fruits and vegetables – are more likely to be contaminated.

#beef #abattoir #Lagosmeatreform #foodbank

FOOD PRESERVATION : HOW TO PREVENT POST HARVEST LOSSES AND ENSURE FOOD SECURITY AND SAFETY.

  Nigerian entrepreneur offers solution to post harvest losses. As a vegetable farmer himself, Ikegwuonu has first-hand experience of the huge post-harvest losses incurred because of a lack of cold storage.

In Nigeria, it is estimated about 60% of smallholder farmers’ fruits and vegetables spoil due to inadequate storage and agro-processing facilities. This idea can be extended by having a mobile cooling truck,from farm to markets.

The post harvest losses can be curbed by using solar dryers   a form of preservation and also extend shelf-life of produce.

 These cold hubs can also come in handy in the meat industry. Butchers that have left over beef  use cold rooms, but introducing a solar store  will save cost and ensure the cold chain is maintained.
 

Preservation and processing is a bullet proof method to curb waste and extend shelf-life of produce.

 Thinking of investing in the agricultural sector? then think along these lines, cold hub chains, cooling trucks, vans. The profitability will  increase if this venture is mobile, trucks collecting from designated points for onward delivery to the cold box or store.

Ikegwuonu is addressing this challenge with Cold Hubs – a solar-powered walk-in cold-room solution aimed at farmers, retailers, and wholesalers.

The cold rooms are installed at major food production and consumption centers, such as markets and farms.

Tips for stress-free livestock transporting.

Tips for stress-free livestock transporting. Livestock transportation should result in as little stress to the animals as possible, whether they are being transported to the abattoir or other farms. Stress your livestock while transporting them and you are likely to end up with unnecessary weight loss, or even bruises or other injuries that could lead to disease, carcass rejections or even mortalities. 

Stress during transportation also has a negative impact on meat quality, which will affect your profits in the long term. According to Dr Dirk Verwoerd, a veterinarian at Karan Beef, animals inevitably lose some weight during transportation, as they do not eat or drink during the trip. 

The main goal, however, is to ensure that they do not lose weight due to dehydration. “It’s difficult to give a fixed answer for acceptable weight loss during transportation, as you have to take into account the type of animal as well as its age and condition at the start of the journey,” says Dirk. However, it is generally accepted that six- to eight-month-old beef weaners can lose up to 3% of their body weight during the first 100km and another 1% for each additional 100km. 

 “The initial losses are mainly due to gastro-intestinal content and urine,” explains Dirk. Depending on the condition of the cattle at the start of a trip, and their age, a loss of 8% to 10% of body weight should raise a red flag. A figure such as this indicates that weight loss is caused by intra-cellular dehydration. Because they are ruminants, cattle usually have enough food in their stomachs to last two days without eating, says Dirk.

Agribusiness: Red meat business.

The war on misuse of antibiotics in food animals has opened the window of raising grass-fed cattle. The red meat value chain has evolved over the years and it is still evolving. The red meat business holds the key to employment,value addition and  red meat export business

The health implication of eating farm fresh beef from grass fed cattle are as follows;

 

1) food safety:  the animals are pasture fed with different combinations of hay and grasses ,also the absence of growth promoters during rearing. 

 

2) The risk of cancer in cattle fed on grasses are low.

 3)The beef is tasty and natural without any additives, no growth promoters.

Echbee foods, selects the very best from the herd and slaughter in an hygienic environment.

 Join our team:eat farm fresh products .Order yours today.

German study links red meat to strokes.

German study links red meat to strokes

MARKET REACTS TO THE NEWS OF LINK OF RED MEAT TO CANCER.

The market reacted with a down slide when the news of red meat listed as a source of cancer was released;http://www.agweb.com/article/cattle-market-meat-industry-react-to-cancer-report--NAA-greg-henderson/

Industry reacts to red and processed meat report

Industry reacts to red and processed meat report

Cancer risk study suggests meat and sugar are bad, while plants are good

Cancer risk study suggests meat and sugar are bad, while plants are good

WHO report adds processed meats to list of cancer causing agents

WHO report adds processed meats to list of cancer causing agents