Meat audits.

INIA and INAC presented the publications of the 2^nd Quality Audit on the Uruguayan Beef and Sheep Meat Chain, 2007-2008.

Significant decrease of losses was found in comparison with the previous audit (28% for beef, 50% for sheep meat).

The presentation of books took place at INIA's head office and was attended by Ricardo Robaina, Subdirector for Quality Control and Development from INAC, and by Fabio Montossi from INIA, both of them General Coordinators of the Audit.

Alfredo Rodríguez, INIA's Director was also present.

The previous audit had been carried out in 2002.

Losses of the beef sector accounted for about 65.5 million dollars, a loss of 29.51 dollars per cattle head.

The work done, including interviews, surveys, work at slaughter plants and strategy workshops, aimed at getting to know the perception of the representatives of the different inks of the meat chain about the issues affecting meat quality and the challenges they must face.

Research was carried out on 28,000 cattle heads at the 10 slaughter plants with greatest slaughter volumes at national level, which represent the 80 % of slaughter, and at 4 sheep slaughter plants, which account for 75 % of the national sheep slaughter.