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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-03-19, Page 40PAGE A-20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1997. Agriculture '97 Step-by step quality testing component of dairy industry Ensuring quality No matter what the agricultural sector, farmers keep a watchful eye on their livestock as it is their livelihood. The Ontario Cattlemen's Association has recently produced a CD-ROM which offers a tremendous amount of information to producers. Continued from A-19 brochures and reports pertaining to the Quality Starts Here initiative begun by the Canadian Cattlemen. “This CD-ROM is an electronic reference guide,” says Peter Doris, special projects manager with OCA. “Quality Starts Here is an educa­ tional awareness campaign. With quality assurance we show produc­ ers the impact their actions have.” The beef industry has a code of practices for the care and handling of the animals. Ever vigilant Testing at every step, dairy producers ensure the quality of their product as it moves from farm to market. Dairy products The dairy industry as w'ell, has very specific standards for the product. A sample is taken from the milk tank each time a pickup is made along with a sight and smell exami­ nation by the milk grader, says dairy farmer Charles Regclc of the Dublin area. Even the person who transfers the milk from the tank must be a certified bulk tank milk grader, having completed a three-day course. The sample is then tested by the Agriculture and Food Laboratory Services Centre to determine the official quality for penalty or, pay­ ment purposes. Producers arc liable for penalty if the milk contains: greater than 99,000 bacteria per ml of plate loop count, in two of three consecutive months; greater than 650,000 cells per ml of somatic cell count in three of four consecutive months; greater Lhan .01 IU penicillin per ml of inhibitor residue; greater than 10 parts per billion of sulphamet- hazine or a freezing point grater than -525 Hortvet. Tetracycline testing was added to the monthly screening in June, 1992, says Regele. Animal welfare movement seen as ally for farmers Family farmers should look on the animal welfare/animal rights movement as an ally, not an enemy, says Bernard Rollin, professor of philosophy, professor of physiolo­ gy and director of bioethical plan­ ning at Colorado State University. While Rollin was in Ontario for a speaking engagement recently, he was hosted by Dave and Brenda Linton of Morris Twp. The Lintons invited a small group of local live­ stock farmers to meet Rollin at a brunch at the Brussels Country Inn where he talked for two hours about the development of the ani­ mal welfare/animal rights move­ ment. "There has been a tremendous mistake in agriculture in lhe United States, and to some extent in Cana­ da, for small agriculture to see the urban animal welfare movement as the enemy and to see corporate agriculture as their allies. But lhe same forces (the emphasis on effi­ ciency and productivity over every­ thing else) that put animals in boxes put you in financial boxes," he told lhe farmers. "The small swine producer, for example, can no long compete with the corporate entity. You don't have the capital. You don’t have the political clout that they have. If you play their game, you're going to lose. "Most of you, as small farmers, are not primarily businessmen," he said. "People in small agriculture are in small agriculture, of course to make money, but as much to pursue a certain way of life. "I believe that people in the U.S. will eventually get smart and real­ ize that if they get into a fool race with corporate agriculture they will lose. "But I think that there is some­ thing working for small agriculture, and that is that corporate agricul­ ture, confinement agriculture, Regulations are set out to deter­ mine the frequency of testing for the various components. If it is found that an inhibitor test is positive, shipping is suspended immediately until a negative test is obtained. "The milk quality advisors are a tremendous help to prevent prob­ lems before they develop," says Regele. - Aside from the milk quality, pro­ ducers must continue to maintain a level of operation to retain a Grade A rating. Sanitation of Lhe tank, trucks and plant milk and transfer and processing equipment is regu­ larly monitored. At lhe next step, processing plants also test for inhibitors, on a voluntary basis. As a dairy farmer, Regele sug­ gests four procedures which should always be followed to assure the quality of the product. "Always sanitize on-farm tank and equip­ ment, maintain all equipment, keep up-to-date records on what is done to each cow and have an emphasis on accurate withdrawal times and rad labels." Above all, Regele says, "If in doubt, have lhe cow tested." intensive farming, have only been around since World War II and I have not yet found any area of agri­ culture that I've spoken to who arc that far removed from the tradition­ al way of farming." People on family farms are still close to the old concept of animal husbandry, he said. Animal hus­ bandry is the "ancient contract", according to animal behaviorist Temple Grandin — the acknowl­ edgement that, "We lake care of the animals and they take care of us." This is an ancient concept in rural societies, used in the Book of Psalms to illustrate a special rela­ tionship, portraying God as a shep­ herd ("The Lord is my Shepherd"). Under animal husbandry farmers protected their animals from natural predators and augmented their care. "If animals were given the choice, Continued on A-22 4$ - % Animal welfare All the livestock organizations have measures in place to protect the welfare of lhe animal which is providing farmers with their liveli­ hood. • One of the factors in animal care is the presence of the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC). It is a producer-helping-producer initia­ tive, says Doris. If anyone secs a farm where there is concern about animal care or conditions, OFAC can be a contact­ ed though the helpline. From there OFAC is in touch with the appro­ priate group, such as OCA or Pork Producers, and a local director is sent to investigate and make rec­ ommendations. Doris says farmers are free to tell the director to leave as it is a volun­ tary inspection, but OCA has not George "We'll M. G.M. Townsend Tire keep you rolling” 1® Dan All employees are govt, certified wheel installers. We carry complete lines of new & used passenger, farm & commercial truck tires Terra Agromari Group (519) 887-6273 Fax (519) 887-6150 yet been refused entry. If the conditions are very bad, the situation can be turned over to the SPCA or police, both of whom have the legislative authority to deal with the problem. In the three years of the help line’s operation, Doris says OCA has received approximately 20 calls per year. OCA also has strict guidelines on how downers are handled to ensure proper certification by a vet and slaughter within the specified time, usually 24 hours. The regulations also cover the transportation of the animals, prohibiting dragging except in rescue cases. (Specific information regarding milk testing and penalties were obtained through the Walkerton OMAFRA office, from Betty-Anne Elliott.) * z-.