Authentication Services

You are here:

About MLC > Commerical services > Authentication services

Authentication Services

Contact: John Heal

Email: john_heal@mlc.org.uk
Website: www.mlcclassification.co.uk

Authentication Services provide, on a commercial basis, services and equipment to the Meat and Livestock industry to contribute to industryÕs efficiency and profitability.

The Portfolio of Authentication Services:

Carcase classification for beef, sheep and pigs throughout Great Britain.

Livestock Selection Services for cattle and sheep at livestock auctions.

Services to the Intervention Board for BSE Schemes.

Development and supply of equipment.

Carcase Classification Services:

Beef Carcase Classification

Sheep Carcase Classification

Pig Carcase Classification

Authentication Services is the only national provider of classification services. The independent carcase classification schemes for cattle, sheep and pigs provide transparency to the transactions between producers and abattoirs.

Regular performance monitoring ensures technical standards are delivered consistently across Great Britain by a dedicated team of carcase service officers and management, providing assurance to producers and contributing to the effective marketing of the finished stock. As a result, confidence in the industryÕs purchasing process is enhanced.

Following the service user contract review each year, the Directory of Carcase Service Users is published, providing an important reference document for producers when choosing their direct marketing route.

Livestock Selection Services:

Cattle Selection Service

Sheep Selection Service

Cattle and sheep selection services are provided to the auction sector to contribute to more effective quality definition of finished stock offered for sale. Technical staff provide an independent technical assessment of stock, forming the basis of quality segregation to more effectively meet the specifications of buyers.

The service can make a significant contribution to quality price reporting and assist the auction sector in responding to demands for greater transparency and comparison within and between the marketing routes.

BSE Schemes:

The Over Thirty Months Scheme

The Selective Cull Scheme

The Offspring Cull Scheme

The Calf Processing Aid Scheme

As Agents of the Intervention Board, Authentication Services provides staff to deliver the operational elements of BSE Schemes at liveweight collection centres, abattoirs, rendering plants, incineration plants, meat and bone meal and tallow stores and hide markets and tanneries. Staff determine eligibility of animals and carcases for payment of compensation to farmers and for the post slaughter control of all schemes material to ensure that disposal routes are secure through to final destruction.

Equipment

The development and supply of Black Box Systems has assisted the slaughter sector to introduce computerised systems and the package is now the market leader with over 50 abattoirs in Britain using the equipment. Carcase Labels compliment the data capture package and provide significant improvements to traceability with detailed, efficiently produced labelling for each carcase. Over 7 million labels are sold annually.

The Stunner Monitor will make an important contribution to welfare standards at a critical point in the slaughter process by providing assurance consumers that welfare standards are closely monitored with data available to provide further confidence in the meat supply businesses.

The provision of the Cranial Bung makes a significant contribution by assisting the slaughter sector to comply with hygiene and health and safety requirements and possibly raise HAS scores. As sole British supplier of Introscopes, the sales and services of this equipment ensures the industry is using effective, accurate and reliable equipment in establishing the payment criteria for the majority of pigs slaughtered.

The development and supply of Carcase Pencils, meeting a food safety specification, ensures the industry complies with legislative requirements. All of these products contribute to industry efficiency and assist individual operators to comply with increasingly strict legislative requirements.

Back to top