{"id":152,"date":"2009-09-29T16:17:34","date_gmt":"2009-09-29T20:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amishinternet.com\/?p=152"},"modified":"2023-02-08T14:59:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T18:59:00","slug":"nais-is-useless-for-source-verification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/amishinternet.com\/?p=152","title":{"rendered":"NAIS is useless for source verification"},"content":{"rendered":"
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September 29, 2009\"U_1730_m\"<\/p>\n

by Darol Dickinson<\/p>\n

When a critter is over 30 months of age the USDA has made a rule that the processing procedure can not saw the carcass down the middle.\u00a0 Slaughter must do two cuts on each side of the spinal column and not compromise the meat with the possible material from the spinal column.\u00a0 Supposedly if there is a contaminated BSE carcass it could affect the meat. These animals only get\u00a0BSE after 30 months of age.\u00a0 On a fed steer we lose the T bone cut because the bone is lost in the cut.<\/p>\n

That is the reason for source verification, to prove the\u00a0animal is under 30 months.<\/p>\n

NAIS proposed data is retained by USDA and not available for source verification unless the\u00a0animal\u2019s owner has a separate system of keeping records that they have access to.<\/p>\n

Therefore: \u00a0NAIS is useless for source verification. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Source verification is a small carrot that the\u00a0declining beef\u00a0industry uses to point to a flake of hope at the end of the tunnel.\u00a0 If everyone had source verification then there would be no premium for those who do.<\/strong> If cattle are over 30 months of age it is not an issue because the quasi premium of a few bucks wouldn\u2019t be possible anyway.<\/p>\n

Currently age verification is determined by USDA meat kill floor inspectors [mouthing] cattle.\u00a0 An inspector trained to visually evaluate\u00a0can tell within one to 4 months a\u00a0animal\u2019s age by tooth development.<\/p>\n

I process about 80 steers for our retail beef sales each year that are 26 to 32 months.\u00a0 I found some inspectors were guessing my 26 month steers at 30+ months and this loss of the T bones was costing me about $30 per carcass.\u00a0 I called the USDA people and cried foul play.\u00a0 He said; \u00a0\u201dTell me the age and that will be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

All my steers are age number branded and\u00a0we have a computer print out on every steer.\u00a0 Our cattle are numbered with the only method proven to be a permanent ID since before King David \u2014 fire branding. <\/strong><\/p>\n