It pays to know your animals... and the market

IN presenting animals for sale or slaughter, it is important to achieve maximum value for every animal produced. Any reduction in quantity or quality of the end product will have financial implications.

Carcases that are over fat or contaminated with faecal material will be trimmed, and those parts of the carcase that are infected with parasites or other diseases will be discarded.

With this in mind farmers must demonstrate careful management of the livestock on the farm, ensuring livestock are healthy, free of disease and meet the desired conformation and weights as the market demands.

The clean livestock policy is now implemented for both cattle and sheep, and sets out the standards for acceptable and unacceptable levels of cleanliness.

If sheep need to be dagged, do so a few days before they go for slaughter, and keep them on a clean field or dry yard so they remain presentable for slaughter.

During transportation always make sure the trailer is cleaned and disinfected. Stressed animals are more likely to injure themselves, causing bruising, so reduce stress by having good handling facilities.

Every farm should have an animal health plan which deals with the control of parasites in both cattle and sheep. The animal health plan will reduce the potential for carcases or parts of carcases being condemned because of the presence of parasites making them unfit for human consumption.

Abscesses in carcases for both cattle and sheep are unsightly and result in as much as one kg of the carcase having to be removed. This devalues the carcase and can be avoided if subcutaneous injections are administered in areas where the skin is loose – mainly on the side of the neck or behind the shoulder.

It is also important to obey the withdrawal period for dosing, which can be anywhere between seven and 14 days, depending on the product. Handle stock carefully to prevent carcase damage. Do not grab a lamb’s wool on the back, and control dogs.

The value of hides and skins can vary, but greater demand is being seen from some overseas markets. It is therefore important not to damage hides and allow producers benefit from the increase in demand.

Damage can occur to hides by use of badly designed facilities, barbed wire, horned cattle, ectoparasites, for example.

The key skill for any livestock producer is knowing when their animal is ready for sale or slaughter, the optimum level of finish. By doing this, farmers avoid costly overfeeding and penalties on over-fat carcases. Developing good stockmanship skills is important, such as body condition-scoring, dosing, treating lameness, shearing etc, as they, along with good grassland management, ensure the animals are thriving and will grade well. As discussed, carcases can be devalued in many ways, so request feedback from the abattoir or market, and react accordingly.

If you are constantly speaking to the buyers of your product, you will understand exactly what the market is looking for. It is then up to you to improve on selecting animals for sale to avoid penalties and maximise the value of your carcase.