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Meat Goat Quality Assurance Through Proper Injection
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By: ROBERT SPENCER |
SMALL FARMS SPECIALIST
ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
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The goat industry is still in
its “developmental” stage and faces many
challenges similar to those faced by the cattle industry
in the past. As a result of prior food safety “incidents”
concerns have also been raised regarding quality assurance
associated with various types of meat. Although the
meat goat industry has not experienced such problems,
it is not impervious to the potential for similar
incidents. In an effort to assist and educate goat
producers on issues relevant to food safety and quality
assurance USDA’s FSIS has provided funding for
Alabama A&M University to implement a program
that will address such concerns. The university organizers
of this project have designed a program based on the
concept of early intervention through producer education.
This particular program is known as the Goat Quality
Assurance (GQA) program |
One aspect of food quality assurance
addresses the need to minimize the potential for injection
site defects. Cattle producer organizations have experienced
the same concerns and implemented quality assurance
efforts through the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and
similar programs. In order to alleviate consumer concerns
relevant to quality assurance regarding injection
site lesions in goat meat Alabama A&M’s
GQA project is taking efforts to inform and educate
goat produces on preferable injection sites and practices.
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In order to insure healthcare
practices are correctly followed, the Food Safety
Education Program for Goat Producers at Alabama A&M
University recommends developing a working relationship
with a local veterinarian and always consulting with
them prior to administering any health care practices.
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In the past both cattle and goat
producers gave most injections to livestock in the
rear leg, forward of the hip area. Animal science
experts and meat processors recognized this as a prime
area for various cuts of meat and began recommending
producers move the injection sites to the neck area
on cattle and near the rib cage, behind the foreleg
on goats. Now experts are recommending goat producers
give injections in the neck of the goat, the same
site as on cattle. |
The choice of injection sites
depends on what cuts of meat are seen as most valuable
to a goat producer. If one chooses the rib cage behind
the foreleg as injection site, they run the risk of
damaging meat that may be found on a rib or two at
that location. If they choose to inject a goat in
the neck, they run the risk of ruining an area of
potential meat that may be cut up and used for stew
meat. Prior to vaccinating or medicating any goat,
the goat producer must consult with his processor
and determine which cuts (a few ribs with meat or
meat on neck) are least valuable and the producers
can risk damaging via injections. |
The most preferred method of
giving injections whether it is goats or cattle when
it comes to administering medicines under the skin
(subcutaneous) is to use the “tent” method
(see diagram below). This method involves pulling
up the loose skin in the area of the injection site
and holding the syringe and needle parallel to the
body and pushing the needle through one layer of skin
and into the gathered area, then squirting the medicine
into the cavity. Ideally the animal will not struggle
and lessen the chance of sticking the animal in the
muscle of the rib area or neck where valuable meat
can be tainted or bruised. Worst case scenario is
to break the needle off into the meat area of the
animal and risk compromising the quality of future
meat when processed. |
As with any farming venture producers
must choose their options on minimizing risk and how
to lessen waste; goat production for meat is no different.
For that reason we are making the following recommendations
prior to administering any and all injections in all
livestock.
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To lessen injection site defects,
the injection site zone created for cattle and goats
was created. This triangular zone, which is located
in the animal's neck (see diagram), begins slightly
ahead of the shoulder, and is for all injections:
intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SubQ). To make
it easier, imagine an intersection resulting from
a line drawn from the top of the neck and to the bottom,
then from in front of the shoulder to where the head
meets the neck. |
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| To insure the best possible meat quality product,
follow these guidelines: |
• Properly and safely restrain
animals.
• Clean the injection site of dirt, mud and
manure.
• Keep injection sites several inches apart
and switch sides frequently.
• Administer injections only in the triangle
zone.
• Never inject into the hindquarters.
• When given a choice of SubQ or IM, go SubQ.
• When administering SubQ injections, use
the "tented" technique.
• Always use new needles, never clean and
reuse.
• Syringes may be reuse by cleaning and washing
with soap, then rinse.
• Use only 18- or 20-ga. Needles (depending
upon the thickness of the medicine used).
• Use 1- to 1-1/4-in. needles for IM; 1/2-
to ¾-in. needles for SubQ.
• Keep a plentiful supply of needles for differing
applications.
• Never use bent, dull, damaged or contaminated
needles.
• Use separate syringes for each product;
mark syringes.
• Use only approved products.
• Follow product directions and withdrawal
timeframes.
• Don't use outdated products.
• Never combine vaccines.
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Information for this article
was inspired from an article written by Joe Roybal
and published in the weekly electronic magazine “Cow
Calf Weekly”. |
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