Despite our industry’s best efforts, emergencies happen. As in any aspect of life, producers can respond best when disaster strikes by being prepared well beforehand.

The newest section of the VBP+ Producer Reference Manual, Emergency Response Plan, has just been released. This tenth module of the manual walks producers through being prepared for various types of crises that can occur on-farm, from natural disasters to equipment failure.

Among the topics of concern under this section of the manual are animal health emergencies, including outbreaks of reportable diseases like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). FMD is an non-treatable, infectious disease that can be rapidly spread between animals and operations. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), FMD can cause the following symptoms:

• Depressed behaviour
• Increased body temperature
• Vesicles (blisters) on the tongue, lips, teats, and hooves
• Reduced appetite and milk production

The virus that causes FMD can be spread by direct contact with infected livestock, but CFIA also notes that animals can contract FMD via airborne transmission over long distances. Indirect transmission can also occur if animals have contact with any kind of clothing, equipment, facilities, vehicles, feed, or water contaminated with the virus.

Luckily, FMD is currently absent from the Canadian cattle herd. However, introduction of this disease from another country could cause a larger outbreak that would have disastrous effects on Canada’s stance in the global beef trade, as well as on animal welfare.

As a country “free of FMD”, Canada prohibits imports of animals or animal products of susceptible species unless they have been processed to destroy any potential FMD virus contamination. Similarly, if Canada were to encounter an outbreak, global trade barriers would be imposed upon Canadian beef exports until a disease-free status was recovered. CFIA explains that an outbreak of FMD would lead to euthanasia of all animals infected or exposed to the virus as well as protocols for quarantine, tracing, and decontamination.

Due to the potential consequences of an FMD outbreak and the ability of the disease to spread rapidly even without direct animal contact, surveillance for and early detection of FMD is key. The Animal Health Emergency Management (AHEM) project has released two resources to help beef and dairy producers contribute.

“It is important for producers to be proactive in preparing for animal health emergencies, such as a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak,” says Todd Bergen-Henengouwen, Resource Development lead with the Animal Health Emergency Management project. “Knowing what to look for and how to respond can make a difference in preventing the spread or limiting the impact of a contagious animal disease.”

The Animal Health Emergency Management Summary Brochure informs producers of the response phases for animal health emergencies. This document includes specific steps for operations to follow in first understanding the importance of emergency response, preparing for emergencies on their own operation, and finally responding to an outbreak on-farm or elsewhere.

The AHEM project also released another document, titled Detecting Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Cattle, which focuses specifically on FMD. This resource shows producers how to recognize the signs of FMD and details what actions to follow if FMD is detected, as well as what to expect from an outbreak.

These two documents align closely with the recommendations of the Emergency Response Plan module of the VBP+ Producer Reference Manual. FMD detection is an excellent example of the need to be prepared for disasters before they happen. Take a chance to review the new module, along with the AHEM documents, to be prepared for whatever may come your way.

Verified Beef Production Plus is committed to staying connected with producers and encouraging producer engagement and continuing education. That’s why VBP+ has launched a new virtual newsletter for certified producers.

On October 15th, VBP+ certified producers received the first edition of the VBP+ Certified Producer Newsletter. This email update will be delivered monthly to keep producers up to date on relevant industry news, new blog posts, and other fresh VBP+ resources. Producers can think of the newsletter as a monthly highlight reel of ways to stay involved and engaged with VBP+.

One feature of the newsletter is a snapshot of the newest blog posts added to the VBP+ website. This quick set of highlights lets producers keep up to date on the most important topics related to the beef industry and production under VBP+, without having to check the blog all the time. Blog posts are linked directly to the newsletter with a quick summary of each article for convenience. For October, check out posts on foreign objects and new sections of the Producer Reference Manual.

In addition, the newsletter keeps producers up to date on exciting and important updates from VBP+. Check your inbox for the updated phone number for VBP+ Delivery Services Inc, as well as a link to the new Simply Verified Beef podcast. Each month, check back for more important information for certified producers, as well as interesting highlights on what VBP+ is up to.

The newsletter also highlights key resources provided by VBP+ to trained and certified producers, as well as the general public. This includes fact sheets, the Producer Reference Manual, and sample records and templates. Last week’s newsletter draws producers’ attention to the shipping record template in preparation for the fall run, as well as the newest sections of the Producer Reference Manual and fact sheets on foreign objects in carcasses. As new resources are released, the newsletter will keep certified producers informed of the latest and greatest tools available to them.

VBP+ is looking forward to staying in touch with certified producers through this newsletter. We are excited to keep you up to date and involved with the latest updates from the world of VBP+.

On February 20, 2020, amendments were made to the Health of Animals Regulations: Part XII: Transport of Animals. While the name of this legislation may not ring a bell, most producers caught word of the reduction in maximum allowed intervals without feed, water, and rest for animals in transport. However, this is far from the whole story.

Since the amendments came into effect on February 20, 2020, any animal left at a slaughter facility or assembly centre (i.e. auction market, assembly yard, or independent holding facility associated with a slaughter establishment) had to be accompanied by a written transfer of care document. This document ensures that the individual responsible for the care of the animal(s) in question is clearly identified at all times, which in turn defines who is accountable for welfare decisions.

For some producers, the point at which this regulation came into effect is a source of confusion. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) implemented a two year compliance promotion period for the enforcement of the new maximum feed, water, and rest intervals. This means that until February 20, 2022, CFIA is focusing on education and awareness rather than strict enforcement of the new regulations. However, contrary to what many producers have been told, this does not apply to transfer of care documents. That is, producers are currently required by law to implement this documentation.

The guidelines for these written documents are quite general. There is no prescriptive format for the document, but instead, CFIA provides a list of required information to be included. The necessary information includes:

1. The names of the transporting company and driver;
2. The receiving company and representative;
3. The condition of the animal(s) on arrival;
4. The date, time, and place of the last feed, water, and rest;
5. The date, time, and place of arrival;
6. Notes regarding animal welfare concerns, dead animals found, and resulting actions;
7. Acknowledgement from the receiver indicating receipt of the animal(s) and acceptance of the responsibility for care.

Producers do not have to provide transfer of care documents to commercial carriers, because responsibility for animal care is already transferred to the transporter upon release of the animals by the producer under the Health of Animals Regulations. As a result, a driver can refuse to drop off a load due to animal welfare concerns, since they are responsible for the care of the animals at that time. Similarly, receivers should document any welfare concerns on arrival to avoid being held accountable for issues that occurred before they were responsible for the care of the animal(s). Notably, CFIA states that this is an important step, because it helps receivers avoid declining a load and prolonging non-compliant animal transport to avert blame for the welfare issues.

Transfer of care documents should be kept on file for two years. This rule is important to tracking accountability for care in case of a welfare investigation. Read the amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations here.

Luckily, VBP+ provides a template for a transfer of care document that is available to all producers, whether or not they are trained and/or certified in the VBP+ program. This helps producers save time and get their cattle passed on quickly and responsibly!

Check out all the record templates and examples that VBP+ offers here.

Foreign objects can present a food safety issue for consumers who purchase meat products from affected animals later on down the supply chain, and can also impact animal health and welfare prior to slaughter. Luckily, foreign objects are a risk which producers can mitigate on-farm.

In most cases, foreign objects enter animal carcasses in one of two ways. Cattle can either consume them, or they can penetrate the hide and end up lodging within tissues.

When cattle consume foreign objects, the material usually gets caught in the reticulum, where it can irritate the tissue within this chamber and cause pain for the animal. At this stage, cattle present a condition called hardware disease, which causes them to perform poorly and show general signs of discomfort such as a depressed state, poor appetite, and sedentary behavior.

Unfortunately, there are many common foreign objects found on-farm which cattle can easily consume. For example, metal cables on fences or feed bunks can be chewed and break if poorly maintained. Alternatively, fragments of metal or other material left on the ground or deposited in feed from processing equipment are easily consumed by cattle.

The best way for producers to prevent the risk of hardware disease, and its associated food safety concern, is to prevent access to foreign objects. If the operation processes feed, magnets or scalpers can be used to remove scrap metal from feed before it is offered to cattle. Where possible, producers should avoid using materials that could easily produce hardware, such as metal fence cables. If this is not possible, producers should regularly maintain equipment and facilities to avoid fragments becoming accessible to animals. Finally, regular inspection of feeding areas for foreign objects and monitoring of cattle and facilities for incidence and new hazards is key.

In other cases, cattle do not eat the foreign object, but rather rub against one such that it penetrates their hide. If these foreign objects become lodged in muscle and the producer is not aware, meat containing these foreign objects can enter the food chain and lead to consumer distrust and potential injury. In some cases, recalls or refusals of carcasses or portions of a carcass at processing plants may occur.

Sources of foreign objects that can penetrate cattle hides are relatively similar to those that can cause hardware disease. Scrap metal, derelict buildings, and poorly maintained equipment are easy for cattle to rub against and pick up metal fragments. However, a few common sources are unique to this route of entry. Buckshot or other shrapnel in areas where birds are hunted can enter the animal. Alternatively, metal or hard plastic rollers used for cattle to scratch can deposit small fragments in the hide.

Much like the hazards, the solutions to foreign objects entering animal hides are very similar to those that prevent the consumption of foreign objects. Removing scrap metal and old equipment and restricting access to derelict buildings, metal or hard plastic rollers, or bird hunting areas will aid in preventing access to fragments that could enter the hide. Regular maintenance of equipment and facilities will also reduce risk. Finally, while preventive measures should be emphasized, producers should monitor and document incidence in cattle to avoid entry of foreign objects into the food supply chain.

Regardless of the route of entry, handling foreign objects with cattle relies on the same basic principle: producers should prioritize prevention and maintain good maintenance and inspection to avoid food safety hazards entering the food supply chain.

To brush up on foreign objects, check out VBP+’s two fact sheets on Consumption of Foreign Objects and Penetration of the Hide by Foreign Objects.