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How traceable is beef?

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  • 11-02-2022 4:45pm
    #1
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,615 ✭✭✭✭


    Was just wondering is the traceability system only there for food safety and recall reasons or is there more to it than that? Like with a batch number could you find out if the mince for sale in the supermarket came from a cow bred for beef or could it be from a dairy cow? Is there a way to tell the breed of the animal by the batch number? And do the numbers/letters represent anything, for example currently looking at a packet from batch 76376D



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    #2
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Ask Bordbia. Numbers/letters should be able to tell us what meat plant it came from.

    https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2011-06-15.2130.0

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #3
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,164 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    The attached link is a list of all the Bord Bia approved beef slaughter and processing facilities. The unique reference code for the factory that the animal was slaughtered in and processed at will be displayed clearly on the packaging. Batch numbers are also required for traceability purposes.

    https://www.bordbia.ie/farmers-growers/member-status/scheme-members/beef-qas-list/



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    #4
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,615 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Thanks lads. Just on beef mince, can it be from dairy cows or only from sucklers?



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    #5
    matt.v
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭matt.v


    Id hazard a guess a lot of mince would be from dairy cows, as you wouldn't get much prime cuts off them



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    #6
    mags1962
    Registered Users Posts: 395 ✭✭mags1962


    Every Primal Cut, wether it's Fillet Beef or specifically for Mince, which can contain Cuts from different animals, has a Batch No. and Traceability details on or in the Vacum Bag, ask your Butcher to show you some examples as they are required to keep records for Food Safety and Regulatory purposes.

    Reputable retailers of Beef, or any other Protein, will have an agreed Specification with a Reputable Supplier/Processor in order to guarantee both consistent supply and quality. The Suppliers/Processor's will in turn have a Specification that they will Buy for, either at market or with contracted or agreed farmers.

    It would not be in anyone's interest to deviate from the process because there is too much at stake and for example Dairy cattle do not fall into the required Spec. either for age or the other multitude of factors that make up the requirements.

    In the quoted example of Pre-Pack Mince you will see both a Plant No. that indicated thr Processing Plant and a Batch No. that contains, by way of the code, all the other Regulatory information, kill date, line no. are just two, provided the Pack comes from a Board Bia inspected, approved and monitored Plant.

    Also just to let you know that these Plants have State employed Vets on every Line in every Plant inspecting the Quality of the meat and if it's fit for human consumption, I won't go into what they look for but I'd be very confident that Dairy cattle do not make it even inside the compounds of these plants.



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    #7
    greysides
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,974 Mod ✭✭✭✭greysides


    Also just to let you know that these Plants have State employed Vets on every Line in every Plant inspecting the Quality of the meat and if it's fit for human consumption, I won't go into what they look for but I'd be very confident that Dairy cattle do not make it even inside the compounds of these plants.


    Vets, known as TVIs, inspect carcases and offal at abattoirs, looking to ensure the meat comes from healthy animals and is clean as it leaves the abattoir.

    Beef plants kill both beef and dairy animals.

    The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress. Joseph Joubert

    The ultimate purpose of debate is not to produce consensus. It's to promote critical thinking.

    Adam Grant



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    #8
    Bass Reeves
    Registered Users Posts: 18,207 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Mince for sale in any major retailer is from heifers or bullocks sub 36 months in s case's and sub 30 months in the majority of retailers. Huge amount of beef minced now. In may cases after steak cuts are removed the rest of the carcases is minced

    Nothing wrong with cow beef either. It was interesting that ear to the ground had a program on it 2-3 weeks ago about an artisan restaurant that specialises in it. However virtually all cow beef is exported to different markets. The white offal is highly sought after in Japan from cows that eat a grass based diet

    Slava Ukrainii



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    #9
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,164 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118622245#Comment_118622245

    When visiting southern France years ago I noted that they like to buy roasts and steaks from older cows. I saw a 14 year old Blonde cow hanging in a rural butchers cold store. The butcher told me that the locals prefer to eat older cow beef because it has a better flavour.



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