Quality Meat Scotland has advised farmers to dump the rump and to inject the neck when jagging stock in an attempt to minimise damage to expensive cuts of meat.
In a letter accompanying the latest scheme rules and guidelines which arrived on producers’ doorsteps the chairman of the organisation’s cattle and sheep standard setting body, Johnny Mackey, said meat processors had been reporting damage to high-value cuts after animals had been injected in the rump.
“We are once again issuing the laminated fact sheet regarding correct injection site procedure which must be displayed in medicine cabinets as a constant reminder when drawing up products,” said Mr Mackey who added that unless veterinary advice stated otherwise the neck was the best bet.
“Vets tell us that even injecting a week-old calf in the rump can damage tissue to a point which will only show up in the boning hall some years later.”
And although a recent Government report has acknowledged that problems with antibiotic resistance in human medicine stemmed primarily from their use in the human population rather than in farm animals, the assurance scheme organisers also advised farmers to make all attempts to further reduce antibiotic usage.
In the UK antibiotic use is confined to the treatment of individual sick animals on welfare grounds, after being prescribed by a vet.
However, the organisation stressed that these products should be used as directed and only when really necessary.
“There have been a number of scare stories over the past year surrounding red meat most of which have been unfounded,” said Mr Mackey.
He added: “It remains incumbent on us as primary producers to keep standards high.”