Nolan Ryan First to Adopt Temple Grandin Responsible Cattle Care Audit
Nolan Ryan Beef is the first adopter of the new Temple Grandin Responsible Cattle Care Program, a certification program developed under the guidance of animal care expert Temple Grandin and in partnership with Food Safety Net Services Certification and Audit (FSNS C&A).
Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, is a world-renowned consultant for the livestock and meat industries, advising on humane and low-stress handling of livestock. This program focuses on educating handlers throughout the food chain about the industry’s commitment to animal husbandry and offer a third-party verification.
During the audit, animals will be inspected upon arrival to the plant for lameness, health condition, injuries, cleanliness and signs of overall level of care from their previous point of ownership. FSNS notes, however, that the audit cannot measure cattle handling or painful procedures that occur prior to arrival at the meat processing plant.
Nolan Ryan Beef leaders say the program will supplement its third-party animal welfare audits designed to monitor humane handling at the processing plant. Only suppliers providing proper animal care will be included in Nolan Ryan Beef.
“As a lifetime cattle rancher who has a heart and passion for animals, I’m honored to partner with FSNS C&A and Dr. Grandin in the utilization of this program. We feel this is an essential step in ensuring the continuous improvement of animal welfare throughout the supply chain,” says Nolan Ryan, a Texas rancher and majority owner of Nolan Ryan Beef.
