Kentucky Proud
initiative tracks beef
Black Angus dams are part of the
Kentucky Proud initiative.
Program incorporates traceability throughout the supply chain.
Traceability is a comprehensive concept of
tracking product through the supply chain. In
the case of beef, this includes the cow-calf operation with identification of the dam, growing
and finishing phases, harvesting, processing
and distribution through to point of sale.
Although there has been considerable
controversy over Country of Origin Labeling
(COOL) this marketing concept does not incorporate traceability. Currently, it is common
practice in the meat industry to commingle
muscle cuts and especially for ground meats,
which invariably involve label declarations relating to origin, possibly including the U.S., New
Zealand, Argentina and Brazil.
“Locally grown” is one of the fast emerging trends in food marketing, especially in
the higher price categories. In an attempt
❯❯❯❯❯❯
More on traceability
USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services discusses
traceability issues
www.WATTAgNet.com/16533.html
to replace tobacco as a major source of
agricultural income, the Commonwealth
of Kentucky has invested in promoting the
cow-calf industry. Kentucky is in fact the
largest producer of calves in the Eastern U.S.
Unfortunately, Kentucky has limited feedlot
capacity and does not have any harvesting or
processing installations for beef. Traditionally,
Kentucky calves have been sold at auction
as a commodity with no attempt at product
differentiation.
During the late 2000s, Alltech initiated
communications with retailers and restaurants
to identify a demand for a line of premium
Kentucky Proud beef. Critchfield, a long -es-tablished family-run meat business, added
its expertise to the project endorsed by the
Commonwealth of Kentucky. If calves are
reared in Kentucky but finished and harvested
out of the state, beef will comply with requirements for the Kentucky Proud designation
providing there is complete traceability and
verification of origin in Kentucky.
The first approach was to encourage producers to finish calves. This was unsuccessful
based on the lack of experience, resources
and capital.
In the absence of large qualified Kentucky
producers, the project identified Horizon Beef
in Sanborn, Iowa, to finish Kentucky-origin
calves. This group comprises 15 farm-owned
feedlots which had previously adopted a
nutrition program incorporating feeding of
Alltech products, including BioPlexed trace
minerals Yea-Sacc® and the Alltech prebi-
By maintaining complete
traceability ... product
has obtained a premium
for certified Kentucky
Proud beef.
otic Bio-Mos®. The production chain was
completed with appointment of PM Beef in
Windom, Minn., to process finished animals.
PM Beef harvests 250,000 head per year and
is equipped to segregate animals destined for
specialty programs.
The first cattle were placed in June 2009
and harvested in November of that year. By
maintaining complete traceability, ensuring
quality and complying with the program with
regard to nutrition, confining stock to the Black
Angus breed and ensuring acceptable documentation, product has obtained a premium
for certified Kentucky Proud beef in high-end
supermarkets and restaurants throughout the
state, which provided a premium for all the
participants in the production chain. [FM]
Dr. Simon Timmermans reviewed traceability and the success of the “Kentucky
Proud” initiative in relation to the Alltech
Angus Project at the recent 2010 Alltech
Symposium.
