European Beef

Detailed EU regulations on the identification and traceability of bovine animals have been in effect since 1997. These regulations include:

• Individual animal identification with 2 ear tags
• Individual passports for each animal containing data on all movements from birth to the point of slaughter
• Maintaining a register on each holding (farm, market, etc.)
• All data is centrally stored in a government national database – In Ireland, this is called AIMS (animal identification and movement system)

This complex and detailed system of identification and traceability allows all beef products to be traced back to birth, allowing the consumer to have absolute confidence in beef and beef products from the EU.

EU Beef Label: the consumer’s key to all information. All beef - fresh, frozen or processed - must include detailed label information that enables the consumer to trace back through the production chain to the farm of origin. This provides full transparency to the consumer.

There are 395,000 beef farms in Europe that produce 7.8 million tonnes of beef, 2.9 million tonnes of which is exported. The European Union lays down strict guidelines and responsibilities for the cycle of production of food animals from their birth through to slaughter and processing. This ensures the best possible food safety and quality during each step of beef production. In Ireland, there are 32 EU approved export beef processing facilities. EU legislation requires the presence of an official government veterinarian and support staff (official auxiliaries) throughout slaughter.

Beef carcases are graded to the EUROP standard, an evaluation that takes into account muscle and fat content of the meat. In Ireland, all beef cut and order specifications are meticulously fulfilled by expert processors. Thus, while orders are made by many diverse consumers from over 80 countries (over 100 retail customers in Europe alone!), each with specific requirements, each order’s specifications are guaranteed.

Livestock production across the EU relies heavily on fresh grass and conserved grass (silage or hay). Raising cattle in Europe, with its relatively small to medium-sized modern family farms, is very different from mass livestock production with the vast industrial feedlots in other countries. EU cattle spend most of their lives outdoors grazing on lush green grass. The key to producing quality grass-fed beef is to raise the animal in its natural habitat and by its natural behaviour. Outdoor grazing is the most common practice in the EU. In many member states, especially in mountainous regions, there are long-practised grazing traditions: “transhumance practices”-where herds migrate from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle; typically to the lowlands in winter and highlands in summer. In the West of Ireland where the climate is particularly mild and favourable to grass growth, this practice is reversed where some farmers move their cattle up to the higher plateau to graze over the winter. These limestone plateaus are measurably warmer when compared to the lowlands. The proximity to ample grassland, dry lying area, and plentiful water provides a very good grazing environment for the cattle. The grass itself grows with a vast range of wild herbs alongside, supplementing cattle’s diet and improving their general health and beef quality. The beef sector in Ireland is rooted in grass-based production systems at farm level. With the natural advantage of the ideal climatic conditions for growing grass coupled with the management practices that have been developed and adopted by Irish farmers over generations the grass-based productions systems found in Ireland produce natural and great tasting beef products in harmony with nature.