Farm vets can help farmers minimise damage to meat

A new investigation into how meat can be damaged by farm injections has found that 4 per cent of cattle slaughtered in abattoirs in England had injection site lesions in the carcasses. The study by researchers at the Universities of Nottingham and Bristol shows that compliance with recommended injection protocols could be improved to reduce this damage. The aim is to encourage farm vets and farmers to make sure they are using the latest and best techniques for administering injections in cattle, to improve meat quality and the welfare of the animals. The study is published online in the Veterinary Record . Veterinary surgeon Liz Cresswell, who performed the research as part of her internship at Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science , said: "I now work as a farm animal vet in Australia working with beef and dairy farmers. This research has made me talk to my clients about their injection techniques. I, and probably more vets out there, often assume farmers don't want someone telling them what to do, but actually there are often areas they can improve on and they appreciate a brief check with their vet on routine procedures." The researchers investigated the presence of injection site lesions (ISLs) in UK beef cattle and how injectable products may contribute to ISLs.