Normally, I don’t include the following materials in our newsletter, but I feel it’s important for you to be informed about the seriousness of food safety issues affecting the meat industry. The following are the two notices I recently received related to food safety issues associated with beef. As you read them, I think you will realize the regulatory agencies charged with food safety are serious when drug residues are found, and you need to be just as serious when you or your employees use these products. If you would like to attend a QAP program after reading this, please let me know.

USDA to Require Carcasses Thrown Out
Federal food inspectors will soon require meat marketers to dispose of whole animal carcasses that have the residue of hormones, antibiotics and other drugs. Under current rules, packers can throw out the part of an animal that tests positive for drug residue, typically the liver or kidney, but then sell the rest of the carcass. This practice has long been criticized by consumer groups who argue that contaminated beef and pork is slipping into supermarkets. This new rule went into effect Sept. 5. The policy applies to all livestock, but will primarily affect slaughtered dairy cows, the source of about 40 percent of the nation's hamburger meat. About 0.2 percent of the cattle tested in 1997, about 12,400 of the 6.2 million cattle slaughtered that year, had drug residues in excess of FDA limits. Animals are tested for more than 50 different compounds, including a variety of antibiotics.

Strict Prison Sentence Given to Owner of Illegal Dairy Operation
In July of this year, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California sentenced a dairyman in the Central Valley to six months in jail and one year of supervised release for his repeated probation violations. The dairyman was found guilty by the same court in April 2000, of violating a 1995 court injunction against his sale of livestock and of a felony count of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce.

This injunction was ordered after he was found to have sold cattle containing illegal levels of antibiotic residue that might pose a significant public health risk. Such antibiotic residues are a public health risk because they may cause allergic reactions and changes in human intestinal micro flora, which can trigger detrimental effects such as diarrhea, vitamin deficiencies, and complications with drug therapies.

These changes can also contribute to the development and proliferation of antibiotic-resistant strains of disease-causing bacteria in humans who eat or handle meat with antibiotic residues.

Despite this court injunction, this dairyman repeatedly sold livestock under fictitious names until he was charged and sentenced in April 2000, to a four-year term of probation including 12 months of home confinement, financial penalties, and prohibitions from the sale or transportation of cattle for slaughter.

PREVENTING ABORTIONS

As in previous newsletters, I include timely articles written by Dr. John Maas, Extension Veterinarian, University of California, Davis. This current article is an excellent overview of abortions in cattle.

One of the most discouraging problems in cow-calf operations is abortion. The cow or heifer got bred, conceived and is carrying the calf and BANG! You’ve got nothing! At least if the calf was born and developed scours or pneumonia, you would have a chance to treat and save the calf. But with an abortion, you’ve lost a year’s production with that cow.

What causes abortions? For the most part abortions are caused by infectious agents; viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. In California, selenium deficiency is also a common cause of late term abortions. The common bugs are Bovine Virus Diarrhea virus (BVD), Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis virus (IBR, rednose), Foothill Abortion, Leptospirosis, and Neospora. One bug we can’t forget is Brucella abortus (Brucellosis).

How many abortions are too many? It is common in nature to have 1% abortions in a herd of cattle, and these commonly occur just before the anticipated calving season or early in the calving season. When the number exceeds this level, it is time to act.

What if I have too many abortions? The first abortion that occurs is usually not a cause for concern; but if a second one occurs don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian. The California state diagnostic laboratory (California Animal Health & Food Safety [CAHFS] laboratory system) does an excellent job of finding out the cause of abortions at a very reasonable price. Your veterinarian will submit samples (often the entire fetus) to the lab. If there is a delay in getting the fetus to the lab - refrigerate it, do not freeze it. When you get a diagnosis back, you and your veterinarian will know what steps to take or what to fine-tune in your current prevention program.

What should I be doing to prevent abortions? There are a number of things that must be done to prevent each type of abortion and these are briefly listed below. The main thing to do is to consult with your veterinarian well ahead of time to be sure you are doing all those things that are critical to your operation.

Viral Abortions - BVD and IBR
These are viruses that can be spread on equipment and clothing, as well as by contact with infected animals. Be sure to vaccinate all replacement heifers with a modified live virus vaccine (usually a 4-way IBR, PI3, BVD, BRSV vaccine) at some point prior to breeding. Afterwards, give yearly boosters with the killed virus vaccines (any time before the third trimester of pregnancy [before they are 6 months pregnant]) or use the modified live vaccines (MLV) when they are open, just before turning in the bulls. Most MLV vaccines are not approved for use in pregnant cattle. If you have any questions regarding virus vaccines, contact your veterinarian.

Leptospirosis
This is a group of bacteria transmitted via the urine of infected animals contaminating feed and water. It can be spread by many species of animals, such as dogs, rats, and wildlife. Infection usually causes late term abortions (6-9 months). Most veterinarians recommend annual or twice-annual vaccinations with multivalent vaccines, such as 5-way (L. pomona, L. hardjo, L. grippotyphosa, L. canicola, L. icterohemorrhagia) or GHP (3-way) can usually prevent abortions. It is best to vaccinate when turning the bulls in or before the cows are 5 months pregnant.

Brucellosis
This disease is almost eradicated from cattle in the U.S. Almost, but not quite! Veterinarians and your state animal health officials highly recommend you continue to vaccinate all your replacement heifers against Brucellosis (Bang’s vaccination) at or near weaning.

Foothill Abortion
This is a bacterial disease that is carried by the Parajuello tick and causes late term abortions. This disease costs California cattle producers an estimated 13-18 million dollars annually. There has been great progress made by UC researchers in the past few years; however, there is no vaccine currently available. When susceptible cattle are bitten by the tick during the first to seventh month of pregnancy, they can abort in 90 to 120 days.The best prevention is to expose cows and heifers to the tick-inhabited areas when they are open or greater than 7 months pregnant and to keep them away from these areas when they are bred from 1-7 months. Contact your veterinarian or livestock advisor if you are unsure where the ticks might be on your ranch. Also, if you anticipate bringing pregnant cattle (1-7 months pregnant) into a high risk Foothill Abortion area, contact your veterinarian ahead of time.

Neospora Abortion
Neospora is protozoa carried by dogs and transmitted to cows through the feces, then transferred on to fetus through the placenta. Also, the agent can be transmitted from the cow to the calf. Neospora usually causes abortions at 4-6 months of pregnancy. This is a very common cause of abortion in dairy cattle, much less common in beef cattle. Restrict access of dogs (potential carriers) to stored feed and feeding areas. If the disease is diagnosed in an aborted calf and its dam is found to be seropositive for the disease, consider culling the cow and any female offspring. Also, testing of the cows in the herd can be used in a test and cull program to help eliminate the agent from a closed herd. Consult with your veterinarian about the various options if this disease is a problem in your herd.

Selenium Deficiency
This trace mineral deficiency causes white muscle disease, weight loss, diarrhea, infertility, retained placenta and decreased immune function. When selenium deficiency causes abortions, it is usually in the last trimester. The fetus develops white muscle disease before it is born and dies - thus the abortion. Prevention is best accomplished by use of the new selenium boluses that last for one year or feeding of a loose salt mineral mix containing 120 parts per million at one ounce per head per day. Consult your veterinarian if you are unsure if your herd is selenium-deficient. He or she can do blood tests to determine the selenium status of your herd. (Note: A number of years ago I participated in a statewide project to determine the selenium status locally. We did not find a selenium deficiency in the herds we sampled, but don’t rule it out as a possibility if your veterinarian suspects otherwise.)

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FAIR BEEF CARCASS RESULTS

I am pleased to report the results of the Santa Barbara County Fair Beef Carcass Evaluation. I have been involved in this program for 26 years, and 2001 had the "best" set of carcasses I’ve seen in recent times.

With the support of the Santa Barbara County Cattlemen and Cattle Women, the market beef project has encouraged project members to buy local bred steers that reflect the industry trends in terms of carcass weight, USDA quality grades and yield grades. This year 40 steers were from local ranches. A total of 54 carcasses were evaluated. They had an average carcass weight of 739 pounds, an average USDA Yield Grade of 2.5, and 30 of the carcasses were USDA Choice or better.

For a copy of the detailed results of this year's beef carcass evaluation, call Wayne Jensen at 805/934-6240.