Dirty Cull Cows

Markets in the North East have been commenting over the past few weeks that cull cows have been coming through the ring a lot dirtier than in previous years. Given that straw for bedding has been much more expensive, maybe it is not a surprise.  However, it also  seems that in an attempt to save on straw supplies bedding is being prioritised towards  young stock and breeding animals, as store cattle are certainly being sold in a fairly clean condition.

The concern is that dirty cattle don’t look good for industry and when arriving at the processor, they slow the line down and present potential contamination issues. The later can lead to financial penalties.

Sarah Balfour sarah.balfour@sac.co.uk