In 1999, the McDonald's Corporation began auditing packing houses with an objective system developed by Dr. Temple Grandin. Grandin developed the system for the American Meat Institute, and now self audits using the system are required by all of the major fast food chains, including McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's. Before Grandin's system was developed, there was no objective method to monitor these facilities.

"I could design the livestock handling facilities for the packing house, but if it wasn't used properly, what was the point?" she asked.

After seeing a dramatic increase in proper animal handling techniques at the packer due to regular self audits, Grandin developed a system for feedyards to audit themselves as well.

"A feedyard is a hotel and restaurant for cattle," she says. "The single, most important job at a feedyard is to have an animal fit to travel to the packer." Monitoring correct animal handling techniques, especially at the chute, will help insure that the animals are fit to go to the packer, she says.

"You monitor what you measure. When you don't, you don't realize if things are slipping."

With Grandin's feedlot audit form, cattle handling in squeeze chutes, general welfare requirements and the condition of the facilities are all looked at.

In the cattle handling portion, a minimum of 100 cattle must be scored. The auditor should observe how many cattle moved through the system without an electric prod. "Feedyards and processing crews can learn animal handling techniques that will lead to only one percent of cattle needing an electric prod to move through a system. It is easily attainable. A sorting stick with a hay bag or flag on the end of it is one of the best animal handling tools there is."

A score of 90 percent moved through a system without shocking is acceptable, 98 percent is excellent. No electric prods are allowed in the crowd pen, and people must not constantly carry them. "An overfilled crowd pen is one of the main problems I see."

If the yard scores less than 90 percent, then trouble shooting should be done.

"Look at the floor and the lighting. Reduce distractions and shadows," Grandin says. "Are the cattle walking toward cowboys wearing mirrored sunglasses? Think what those look like to cattle. Notice the amount and location of manure. Scared cattle produce manure. If you don't scare them, they won't poop."

Next, a squeeze chute operation score is given. This measures the percentage of cattle that vocalize (moo or bellow) within one second after being caught. Did the cattle vocalize in direct response to either excessive squeeze pressure or in response to the bars being closed across the face? Is the squeeze too tight?

"If it is impossible to force four fingers between the squeeze sides and the animal, the pressure control should be adjusted. The relief value must be set so that the squeeze sides automatically stop squeezing before the squeeze is too tight," Grandin says. "This is also an important safety issue in case a person gets caught in there."

Once the calf is processed, the cattle exit speed is measured. Did they walk or trot? Jump or run? Fall down? "It has been proven in studies that speeders - those that run out of the chute - have lower weight gains and a tendency to get sick," she explains.

The next section examines the condition of the feedyard and its facilities. A mud score is given and the processing facilities are rated. Is the facility clean? Do the floors have rubber mats or non-slip features?

Finally, the general animal welfare of the cattle is studied. Heat stress, castration, the condition of water troughs and horses all fall under this category.

Grandin's audit can help a feedyard locate trouble spots that they otherwise may not be aware off.

"Some bad practices will become normal if a yard does not audit themselves regularly," she says.

Grandin's feedyard audit form can be printed off her web site at www.grandin.com. ©