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Folks, I am going to lay it on the line.
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ccjersey
Posted 10/7/2012 19:40 (#2628937 - in reply to #2628659)
Subject: Re: Folks, I am going to lay it on the line.


Faunsdale, AL		The inspector is going to assume the worst when looking at the live animal. Anything questionable is going to get flagged for closer inspection and testing if not outright condemned before slaughter (at least slaughter for human consumption). With all the testing being done for residues (sort of the same deal as the aflatoxin testing everyone's been gnashing their teeth over the last few weeks), Cull cow meat will be free of residues above tolerance/action levels if nothing else. There are some that would quarrel with the tolerances, but they exist today because of the best science available that says they are safe, not because of limits of detection as was probably the case 40 or so years ago. "Zero" really is getting smaller and smaller every year!

The reason I say "if nothing else" is that carcass may not be marbled, have much if any fat cover or yield like a beef animal, but it will provide what the buyer purchased it for and most likely be worth what was paid for it or more. After all, packers don't purchase cull cows as a goodwill gesture to cattle producers, they purchase them to make money and provide the lowest cost wholesome products to their retailers and consumers. That is a segment of the market that is important. Without it, part of the population would effectively be priced out of beef consumption.

The looming problem I see in the livestock industry is the problem with weak/injured/downer animals. Now obviously with regulations in place already, here in the USA, these cattle are not going to become food for human consumption. They do exist/occur and cause problems wherever they show up along the marketing channels, however. So it behooves the producer to do as much as possible to minimize the number of them that enter the market in the first place.

I would argue that prices paid for the weak, crippled etc cattle reflect the market cost of their situation. Like I said above, I don't think there ever was a packer that purchased any cattle, especially cull cattle for goodwill, they purchase them to make money and the prices they are willing to pay reflect the fact that in general, the cattle are worth the price being paid.

In summary, there is a market for cull cattle and it functions pretty well to move them from producer to willing consumer in the most economical manner. They will never be as "classy" as prime, choice or even select beef, but the end result is safe wholesome food at a price which fits the consumers' budget.

Edited by ccjersey 10/7/2012 19:43
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