Incidence of injection-site blemishes in beef top sirloin butts.
The occurrence of damaged muscle tissue resulting from intramuscular injections of animal-health products represents a "quality control" problem and an economic loss to the beef industry. Five individual and sequential national audits of injection-site blemishes in beef top sirloin butts have been conducted at the steak-cutter level. During the most recent audit (March 1993), the incidence of injection-site blemishes in top sirloin butts was determined to be 10.87 +/- 2.99%, with an average weight per blemish of 123.39 +/- 5.48 g. A 5-point classification system used to partition the blemishes into chronological stages of the healing process suggested that the majority of the blemishes originated at the cow-calf or stocker levels, or early in the finishing period. Evaluation of blemish data by geographic location of plant-of-origin suggests that the problem occurs throughout the beef production sector.
Dexter
D R
DR
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
Cowman
G L
GL
Morgan
J B
JB
Clayton
R P
RP
Tatum
J D
JD
Sofos
J N
JN
Schmidt
G R
GR
Glock
R D
RD
Smith
G C
GC
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000293:injuries*; D015994:Incidence; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary; D008460:Meat / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D009132:Muscles / Q000293:injuries*; D011786:Quality Control; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary