A foreign object is any noncarcass material found in a carcass or beef product. These materials can range from metal, plastic or rubber that may enter the product during fabrication at the packing plant, which is the packer's responsibility. There are also foreign objects that trace back to preharvest, such as wire, cable around feedbunks or other materials accidentally consumed by the animal. Additionally, frayed wire has been found embedded in cattle tongues from licking. However, the biggest preharvest concerns are birdshot, needles and, more recently, remote delivery device (RDD) darts.
For 30 years
This issue, which plagued the industry 30 years ago, still persists today. From 2020 to 2023, birdshot was the number one foreign object found in beef products at Golden State Foods. For context, Golden State Foods purchases over 170 million pounds of beef trimmings and supplies McDonald’s with 100% of its beef patties for more than 3,000 restaurants. It also supplies four major Nestle plants with ground beef products for retail frozen entrees and baby food.
Birdshot in beef is a national problem, not just an issue for one company or one region. Conversations with further beef processors reveal that the number one reason many grind plants have to stop production is when birdshot is found in the “grind.” Some packer representatives have mentioned that this is a daily occurrence.
During his presentation last year at the Cattle Industry Convention’s Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Producer Forum, Dr. Wayne Morgan, corporate vice president and president of protein products and sustainability at Golden State Foods, quizzed the audience with images of various game birds, which the producers identified expertly, including a final image of a cattle herd. His point was that if a majority of individuals can identify game birds that are often hunted with shotguns, why do we find birdshot in carcasses and beef products?
Before you jump to the conclusion that bird hunters are the problem, I want to stop you now. The industry needs to stop ignoring the elephant in the room and call a spade a spade.
The real issue
The issue is that some producers within the beef industry find it “acceptable” to use birdshot when deterring or gathering cattle. Some use birdshot to deter bulls from fighting or challenging handlers; when cattle are found on the wrong side of the fence; or when gathering cattle in rough country with thick brush. Some believe that as long as there is distance between the animal and the shooter, the pellets do not penetrate the hide and only “sting” the animal. However, this is not always true. Firing a firearm at cattle when it is not for protection or euthanasia is unacceptable. It is animal abuse that jeopardizes animal welfare, beef product safety and the industry image as a whole.
Recently, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association released Right Way. Right Time. A Guide to Cull Cattle Management, highlighting defects often observed in cull cows and bulls at harvest from the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit. Birdshot is the most common “nonaccidental” foreign object found in beef.
From the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit, 100% of the market cow and bull plants interviewed reported birdshot, and 50% reported customer complaints. This means birdshot made it past all intervention steps to catch metal in beef carcasses and products before leaving the packing plant.
While birdshot is the primary preharvest foreign material found in beef carcasses, broken needles are also found. The 2022 National Beef Quality Audit reported that nearly 19% of market cow and bull plants find broken needles in carcasses or beef products. This is also a preharvest problem.
The BQA program considers broken needles an emergency event and states that no animal with a needle broken off inside should be marketed as long as the needle remains inside. If a needle breaks off, producers should immediately work to locate and remove it. If they cannot, they should contact their veterinarian to attempt removal. If removal is unsuccessful, the animal should be uniquely identified to prevent accidental marketing through a sale barn or for harvest.
The BQA program offers a solution through “salvage slaughter,” allowing the producer to take the animal to a small or private harvest facility in an attempt to still capture the product value of the animal. Salvage slaughter allows the producer to have face-to-face communication with facility management about the broken needle and the possibility of retrieving it during harvest. Additionally, this beef product will not enter the commercial food chain and be returned to the producer who is aware of the risk.
Finally, harvest facilities have recently been finding more RDD darts at the packing plant, caused by misuse of a technology meant to benefit producers. BQA strongly discourages the use of RDDs, stating they should be a last resort due to the risk of darts striking sensitive tissues or administering products off-label. Research and producer testimonials indicate that RDDs fail to consistently deliver intended doses. This alone should be a concern for producers due to the risk of “failure to treat.” RDDs have not been proven to reduce stress and are not a replacement for proper management or handling facilities. If used, BQA treatment guidelines should still be followed.
In conclusion
Foreign materials pose a food safety risk. Packing plants use X-rays and metal detectors to prevent beef products with foreign materials from leaving the plant, but these are not perfect. Producers aim to produce high-quality beef that is safe for consumers. Firearms with birdshot are not handling tools or acceptable deterrents. Even in rough country with thick brush or when handling ornery, aggressive bulls, there are better ways. Again, the use of birdshot is animal abuse and jeopardizes the beef industry’s public image.
Consider recent food safety impacts such as the Boar’s Head listeria recall or the yellow onions contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 served at McDonald’s. Now imagine the industry impact or the media headlines if a consumer finds birdshot or a broken needle in beef at their dinner table.
Producer education initiatives continuously target the preharvest foreign materials problem. However, until a clear message is sent from the industry, the problem will persist. As a part of the beef educator network, we work to bring awareness to industry issues and their potential impacts. However, those warnings fall on deaf ears when there have been no repercussions for the behavior. It is up to those directly affected to send the message that nonaccidental foreign materials are unacceptable.
