Cattlemen Warned About Lesion
Problems, Now In Chuck Muscles

DENVER – The beef industry has made huge strides in overcoming problems with injection site lesions in the top sirloin butt in recent years. In fact, Colorado State University reports that lesion incidence in this area of the carcass during the period of November 1995 through July 2000 decreased from 11.4 percent to 2.1 percent.

Researchers equated this significant reduction in lesion problems to an industry-wide savings of more than $76 million, based on the projected 30.31 million steers and heifers to be harvested in 2000, a net savings of $2.15 per head slaughtered.

Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the story. Injection site lesions seem to be on the rise again, but this time the lesions are occurring in the chuck area of the beef carcass.

The problem has been discussed at several industry and producer meetings in recent months. It was discussed in detail at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association summer meeting here in August and was brought up again at the recent Beef 20-20 meeting in Amarillo.

The problem was brought to the industry’s attention upon completion of the 2000 National Beef Quality audit. The incidence of injection-site lesions in fed steer and heifer rounds was 11.3 percent, an increase of 6.2 percent from 1999. The audit also revealed an average trim per lesion of 12.5 ounces, an increase of 2.5 ounces per lesion.

Dr. Keith Belk, researcher at Colorado State University, told NCBA members that the problem seems to be more pronounced in case-ready products.

"We probably haven’t found it in the past because we haven’t been in the habit of slicing steaks and roasts off the chuck roll," Belk pointed out.

The fact that the industry is moving more and more toward case-ready is a prime reason why it should take this problem seriously, he said.

The potential impact on the beef industry is huge. One processor, in particular, Belk noted, is manufacturing a good deal of its beef production in the form of retail case-ready. That product is being sold through Wal-Mart, the largest grocery retailer in the U.S. with $47.7 billion in annual sales.

It is not a localized problem, however. Lesions are being found in 16 to 20 percent of the product from several companies, and in addition to Wal-Mart, defect product has also been found in some Kroger stores.

"Kroger and Wal-Mart combined account for about 20 percent of the market share. It is a severe problem," he reiterated.

These lesions turn green when packed in modified atmosphere packaging, and that greenish color expands until there is a big, bright green dot, Belk said.

Problems are occurring in both "enhanced" product — product that has been injected with a solution that helps with tenderness — as well as product that is not enhanced but that is still packaged in a highly oxygenated package.

Research is currently underway at Colorado State University to determine a number of things, but in particular what is causing the green color and why it is enhanced in case-ready product. Belk said the reaction is likely being caused by a reaction of an adjuvant, possibly aluminum hydroxide.

Early research also indicates that the lesions found in the case-ready product are at least one month old, possibly three to four months old, indicating that injections are occurring at the ranch or the feedyard, most likely at the feedyard. Furthermore, Belk said, the lesions are likely being caused from a processing vaccination rather than from a hospital treatment.

Belk also told listeners that lesions are a result of shots being given too high and too far back in the neck area. Several animal health companies have already changed some of their labels from a subcutaneous/intramuscular label to a subcutaneous only.