Major changes are taking place in all sectors of the livestock and meat producing industries from farm to consumer which impinge on the processes and patterns of livestock distribution from farm to slaughter. These changes are identified and described. A survey of the complete journeys from farm to abattoir of 18,393 slaughterweight lambs sold direct from farm to abattoir, via livestock auction markets and via electronic auctions was conducted. Lambs sold direct from farm to abattoir experienced shorter journeys (in terms of both median duration and distance) than lambs sold through either of the other two channels. Lambs sold through electronic auctions, on average, travelled longer distances but for shorter times than lambs sold through livestock auction markets. Although these results are broadly consistent with the common perception of direct sale lambs experiencing simpler journeys than lambs passing through the other channels, they do not support this view unequivocally. The journeys were diverse in all three distribution channels and ranged from direct and uninterrupted transfer from farm to abattoir (n=4,888) to highly complex itineraries including up to three periods of transportation interspersed with two holding periods at assembly points, staging posts or auction markets (n=l,034). Journeys also included those with between 2 and 8 pickups en route (n=2,369), and those involving holding at assembly points, staging posts or livestock auction markets before transfer to abattoir (n=10,102). A total of 26 different journey structures were identified: 18 in direct farm to abattoir sales, 9 in sales via livestock auction markets and 13 within the electronic auction system. The effect of journey structure on the welfare of slaughterweight lambs (90 transported and 45 non-transported controls) was investigated in an experiment comprising 3 journey types (direct transfer from farm to abattoir, a journey involving 3 additional pickups en route and a journey incorporating holding at a livestock auction market) with non-transported controls held in a pen for the duration of the transport period. Transportation per se affected the liveweight and behaviour of the lambs: transported lambs lost more weight during the transport period and spent less time ruminating and less time lying down than non-transported lambs. Multiple pickup and Market lambs lost more weight and spent less time ruminating whilst lying than Direct lambs. Ultimate carcase pH (pHu) was higher for Multiple pickup and Market lambs than Direct lambs. There were no differences in liveweight loss, ruminating behaviour or pHu between Multiple pickup and Market lambs. Direct and uninterrupted transfer from farm to abattoir is preferable to more complex itineraries, but it is essential to consider journey structure, rather than simply the marketing channel, when judging the impact of livestock transport on animal welfare.

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to describe Dungeness crab marketing from the ocean floor to the ultimate consumer; to identify relations among the Oregon Dungeness crab industry, the Pacific Coast Dungeness crab industry, and the Alaska King crab industry; and to specify the relationships between fishermen's prices for Dungeness crab and levels of Oregon production1 levels of total U.S. Dungeness crab production, levels of King crab production, and King crab prices. Primary data were gathered from fishermen, processors, state fish agencies, and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Secondary sources were utilized to gain general information on King crab fishing and processing. Dungeness crab is usually sold by fishermen to processors. Processors generally sell the crab through brokers to fish wholesalers, but they may also sell directly to fish wholesalers or retailers. A definite seasonal trend was found in prices received by fishermen. However, cyclical movements have a much greater impact upon absolute price levels received by fishermen. Total catch of Dungeness crab and King crab prices were found to play important roles in determining prices received by Oregon Dungeness crab fishermen. It is concluded from the analysis that: (1) an industry-wide commission is needed to advertise and promote Dungeness crab products; (2) the ocean fishing season should be opened January 1 instead of December 1 of each year; (3) processors should endeavor to expand into new marketing areas to increase demand for their products;(4) grades and quality standards should be established; and (5) further research is needed in the technological, biological, and economic aspects of Dungeness crab production and marketing. / Graduation date: 1967

Graduation date: 1950

This study of four domestic abattoirs in South Australia with Quality Assurance programmes in place, established the size of bacterial populations that could be expected on pig carcasses on entry to abbattoir dressing floors at pre-evisceration, the extent of contamination occuring during carcass dressing, and the effect of chilling on these populations. Analysis was conducted for salmonellae, Escherichia coli, Total Viable Count, and pseudomonads. Exterior swabbing was compared to swabbing of corresponding interior sites which are sterile initially. The interior swabbing sites were found to be a more reliable measure of contamination during the dressing process than the swabbing of already contaminated exterior sites. During the identification of some of the points of carcass contamination, the effectiveness of end-of-work foam cleaning programmes used at abattoir dressing floors and their relationship to the potential for airboure contamination of carcassed was examined and found to be positive. / Operators' work tools and hands were identified as sources of interior carcass contamination combined with failure of operators to adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during carcass dressing, especially those related to hand and forearm washing at appropriate times. Foot-operated full-immersion hot water units for operators' knives and steels were designed and installed at two abattoirs to give operators access to physically and biologically clean work tools throughout carcass dressing. Use of this innovation represents a world first in reducing bacterial contamination of carcasses during dressing. Knives and steels remained immersed in the 82 C hot water when not in use, eliminating the need for waist held tools, and left operators' hands free for washing according to SOPs. A detailed study of the social structure of dressing floors was made to determine how best to bring about the attitudinal changes necessary to have operators use the full-immersion hot water units correctly and at the same time to adhere diligently to the use of SOPs, especially those related to hand and forearm washing after dirty cuts, when changing from exterior to interior trimming, and between carcasses. The relatively high populations of E. coli detected on carcasses swabbed in the study was of concern due to the reported detection of enterohaemorrhagic serotypes at Australian farms and abattoirs. / This knowledge led to investigation of the ability of Australia's most common of these serotypes, O111, to attach to food processing grade stainless steel. The pathogen was found to attach readily to stainless steel test sufaces. Subsequent formation of biofilms on abattoir equipment, including operators' work tools, could result in continuing contamination of meat being processed and increased bacterial resistance to heat and chemical treatments used in cleaning. This finding must be of concern to abattoir management and public health authorities, and suggests that the hygiene at abattoirs needs immediate upgrading including providing operators access to clean work tools during processing and ensuring that SOPs are followed diligently at all times. Establishment of an independent monitoring authority to achieve these outcoms using microbiological verification appears to be an obvious solution. / Thesis ([PhDBiomedicalScience])--University of South Australia, 2004.

No description available.

The lamb industry is actively seeking to improve the quality of lamb meat produced in Australia. Ultimate pH (pHu) is a key determinant of red meat eating quality although this measurement has not been adopted formally by the Australian lamb meat industry. Muscle glycogen concentration is a major determinant of pHu in red meat. This thesis investigates glycogen concentration in lamb muscle and the ultimate pH (pHu) of lamb meat under commercial industry conditions as well as exploring by experimentation, some of the factors that control muscle glycogen concentration in lamb muscle. The results of this work has contributed to an understanding of the significance of high pHu meat to the lamb industry and will assist with developing new management strategies for lambs that avoid low muscle glycogen concentration at the point of slaughter, thus high pHu in meat derived from lambs. The first part of the study (Experiments 1 and 2) undertook to determine the ranges of muscle glycogen concentration and lamb meat pHu found under commercial conditions and to measure any changes in these parameters associated with consignment of lambs from farm to abattoir and lairage at abattoirs. This study utilised a new biopsy technique that allowed muscle collection from lambs on farm. Some 16 different consignments of lambs and 3 consignments of lactating ewes were intensively monitored on farm and at abattoirs over a range of lairage times. Sensory evaluation tests were done using meat from 6 of these consignments. The results showed there to be considerable variation between lamb consignments with some consignments having a very high and other consignments having a very low incidence of meat with a high pHu. On balance “on farm” factors were concluded to have a greater impact on muscle glycogen concentration at slaughter than “post farm gate” factors. However, there was evidence that muscle glycogen concentrations decreased during the farm curfew and transport period for some consignments so both “on farm” and “post farm gate factors” can be important. Characteristically glycogen loss occurred during the farm curfew and transport period in consignments of Merino lambs that had high muscle glycogen concentrations prior to consignment. Holding lambs in lairage caused no negative effects on muscle glycogen concentration although there was some evidence that very short lairage periods may increase meat pHu without causing a change in muscle glycogen concentration. It was concluded from these experiments that the mean muscle glycogen concentration of a group of lambs needs to be greater than 1.5 g/100g on farm in order for the pHu of lamb meat to be less than 5.7. Subsequent to this industry study, an experiment (Experiment 3) was done to gain an understanding of muscle glycogen concentration as being an integral part of whole body glucose metabolism. This experiment investigated the effects of exercise on a range of different muscles and tissues of lambs including liver, kidney, skin and gastrointestinal tract. Interactions between glycogen concentrations in the liver and muscle with time after exercise showed that glycogen repletion occurred in the liver before muscle tissue. This effect was a unique finding and could explain in part the slow rate of glycogen repletion in muscle tissue that is characteristic for ruminants. Another major finding was an accumulation of glycogen concentration in skin during the recovery period after exercise. It was postulated that this effect may be due to the supply of glucose to glycolytic tissues being continued even when demand for glucose in the skin was low and the capacity to store glycogen in muscle was very high. Experiment 3 confirmed the existence of a relationship between metabolisable energy (ME) intake and glycogen repletion in muscle tissues and found a slightly different relationship between ME intake and glycogen repletion in the liver tissue of lambs. Muscle glycogen concentration did not change in fasted lambs and the rate of glycogen repletion in muscle after exercise was dependent on ME intake. Differences were observed between different muscles, particularly between M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and all other muscles, in relation to the change in glycogen concentration with time after exercise. Glycogen concentrations changed less rapidly in the LTL than other muscles. Glycogen concentration in the liver was associated negatively with time after exercise in fasted lambs and positively with time after exercise in fed lambs. Several experiments (Experiments 4, 5 and 6) were conducted to determine the affects of different nutritional factors on muscle glycogen concentration in lambs, both on farm and after commercial slaughter. These studies showed that short term increases in ME intake will increase muscle glycogen concentration to a maximum level over a period of about 7 days (Experiment 4). Diet composition did not affect the change in muscle glycogen concentration associated with an increase in ME intake although results from this experiment (Experiment 5) were not entirely conclusive. There was evidence that the type of feeding and finishing system may influence the susceptibility of muscle glycogen concentration to change during consignment of lambs to slaughter. Results from these experiments demonstrated that a goal for muscle glycogen concentration in lambs on farm of 1.5g/100g is quite achievable with contemporaneous management systems. Finally this study highlighted the need for further research in a number of key areas in order that muscle glycogen concentration in lambs to be fully understood. In particular, the role of muscle glycogen turnover in relation to muscle glycogen concentration was noted as an area for which further research is warranted.

Thesis (PhD(Consumer Science)(Consumer Science) --University of Pretoria, 2007.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 1999. / Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 312-325).