Connecting Animal Health with Carcase Quality at AHDB Lamb Roadshows
HallMark Veterinary & Compliance Services was pleased to contribute to AHDB’s Right Start, Right Carcase, Right Market lamb roadshow, which has now completed its six-event programme across England.
The roadshow brought together specialists in animal health, genetics, market analysis, butchery and carcase classification to help sheep producers understand how decisions made on farm affect performance, carcase quality and financial returns.
Charlotte Lazewll from HallMark presented at two of the events, sharing practical insight into the conditions identified during post-mortem inspection and explaining how flock health can affect the proportion of a carcase or its offal that can enter the food chain.
Her sessions helped connect observations made within the abattoir with actions that can be taken on farm. Effective flock health planning, early recognition of disease and the appropriate use of feedback from processors and inspection teams can all help producers reduce avoidable losses while supporting animal health and welfare.
The subject attracted considerable interest from attendees and was subsequently featured by Farmers Weekly in an article examining how sheep producers can reduce rejections at the abattoir.
HallMark’s contribution complemented the practical carcase-classification sessions delivered by colleagues from MLC at all six roadshows. Using live lambs representing a range of conformation and fat classes, the MLC team explained how carcases are classified and how producing animals to the requirements of the target market can improve returns.
Together, the sessions highlighted the importance of communication across the food chain. Information gathered during ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection, alongside classification results and processor feedback, can provide valuable insight for farmers and their veterinary advisers.
The roadshow visited Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Kent, Northumberland, Somerset and Shropshire. Across the series, farmers were able to explore the relationship between breeding and health decisions, live-animal selection, carcase classification, market requirements and the value of the finished product.
HallMark would like to thank AHDB for the opportunity to contribute and everyone who hosted, organised or attended the events.
By connecting expertise from farm to abattoir, initiatives such as this can help improve animal health and welfare, reduce avoidable losses and strengthen understanding throughout the agrifood sector.
