Friday, November 21, 2014

Jaundice*

 After slaughtering your animal you want to check key sections for signs of disease. While skinning take note of the color of the fat. Grass fed cattle with a nice layer of fat will have a slight yellow hue to it. Except Holsteins they tend to not have much fat and what they do have normally will be more whiteish. Corn fed cattle will have a slightly darker shade of yellow. Keep in mind that the fat should be yellowish, not the connective tissue, the bone, veins or arteries.... in other words if everything is yellow the animal is likely jaundice and you should not serve it to your family! Do not eat it!! You can check the roof of the mouth and the eyes also for yellowing.
Certain diary cows such as Jerseys and Guernseys will have a deeper, darker yellow fat which carries through the mesentery tissue and fat. This is normal and as long as the connective tissue, eyes and roof of mouth are not yellow no jaundice is present.
Some goats are similar to the Jerseys and Guernsey diary cows. Their fat can be a deeper yellow and throughout the intestines. Again as long as the yellow is not in the connective tissues, bones, eyes and the roof of the mouth it is not jaundice.
A very good way to compare yellowing is by checking the aorta on the heart. If you are unfamiliar with where that is on the heart it is what I consider the "looping" artery on the top. In most normal cases this is white, so if the fat on the heart is a strong yellow and the aorta is yellow in addition to the other locations the animal most likely was jaundice.
There can be different degrees of yellowing and different locations maybe a deeper yellow then others, so it up to your judgement. If in doubt don't feed it to you family!


http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/laboratoryservices/regionalveterinarylaboratoryreports/rvlmonthlyreports2011/may2011rvlmonthlyreport/

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/laboratoryservices/regionalveterinarylaboratoryreports/rvlmonthlyreports2010/august2010rvlmonthlyreport/




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*This is meant as a guide not a definitive source. I am trying to bring awareness so you can further research the topic. I am not responsible for the decision and actions you take.

        

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