By Dina Fraenkel - OK Kosher
Once again, the kashrus-observant world is faced with another shechita crisis. The problem effects shechita in America and across the globe. It has recently come to light that three major issues in cattle-raising and meat preservation are having a profound effect on the kashrus of meat.

The first problem involves a surgical procedure to remove excess gas from the stomach of a cow, which results from the common “pen-feeding” of commercial cattle. “Pen-feeding,” where the cattle are kept in pens and fed grain in troughs without room to exercise and eat freely, causes the cows to develop huge amounts of gas in their digestive systems (caused by the fermenting grain). In order to relieve the cows of this gas, farmers do a surgical procedure to puncture the stomach and release the excess gas. This puncture wound renders the cow problematic regarding glatt kosher (and sometimes renders them treif).

OK Certified Meat Not Affected by Latest Shechita Crisis

By Dina Fraenkel – OK Kosher

Once again, the kashrus-observant world is faced with another shechita crisis. The problem effects shechita in America and across the globe. It has recently come to light that three major issues in cattle-raising and meat preservation are having a profound effect on the kashrus of meat.

The first problem involves a surgical procedure to remove excess gas from the stomach of a cow, which results from the common “pen-feeding” of commercial cattle. “Pen-feeding,” where the cattle are kept in pens and fed grain in troughs without room to exercise and eat freely, causes the cows to develop huge amounts of gas in their digestive systems (caused by the fermenting grain). In order to relieve the cows of this gas, farmers do a surgical procedure to puncture the stomach and release the excess gas. This puncture wound renders the cow problematic regarding glatt kosher (and sometimes renders them treif).

In addition, in places like Uruguay, many cattle farms have unsafe drinking water for the cows that is riddled with parasites. When the cows drink this water, parasites enter their system and cause boils on the lungs of the cow. These boils, at the very least, render the meat non-glatt, and sometimes render the meat treif, as well.

The third issue occurs after the shechita, to clean out the carcass and preserve the meat. In many shechita facilities, after the blood is drained from the carcass, the cow is embalmed with chemicals. These chemicals can fill up the lungs making it difficult, or sometimes impossible, to check the lungs properly.

The OK certified, glatt-kosher shechita in Uruguay, under the brand name Quality Kosher Meats, does not have any of the abovementioned problems. Under the direction of Rabbi Yosef Feigelstock, shlit”a, OK Kosher Certification takes special precautions to avoid the issues of treifus or non-glatt resulting from surgical procedures, parasites and embalming.

Quality Kosher Meats purchases cattle herds that have been fed “free-range,” meaning they graze naturally in fields to eat, instead of being held in pens. Before a herd is purchased for shechita, the OK ensures that the cows in the herd have a good health history (each cow has a numeric tag on its ear that corresponds to the health log), with no surgical procedures and each cow is inspected by a specialized inspector to ensure that it does not have a scar indicating the procedure was done.

In addition, the OK only allows Quality Kosher Meats to purchase from cattle farmers who use clean drinking water, free of parasites. If an OK shochet or mashgiach finds the boils (caused by parasites) on the lungs of a cow, the meat is automatically declared treif, because it is a health concern for the shochet or mashgiach to taste the liquid inside the boil to determine if it is halachically acceptable or not.

Finally, the OK does not permit the embalming procedure after the shechita is performed.

These safeguards, strongly enforced by OK Kosher Certification and Rabbi Feigelstock, along with the high standards upheld by Quality Kosher Meats, ensures that none of the current problems with other shechitas occur in meat produced by Quality Kosher Meats and certified by OK Kosher Certification.

9 Comments

  • Great marketing!

    Good job OK at putting out such a well written ad., as illustrated by your bown words “In addition, in places like Uruguay, many cattle farms have unsafe drinking water for the cows that is riddled with parasites….”
    Hmmm, in places like Uruguay, maybe that’s just where OK’s meat originates, and just maybe all the above – mentioned problem’s are all just in Uruguay, so thank you very much OK, for this great journalisticaly written advertisement but i think it belongs more in the comment section relating to the latest article slandering Rubashkins’ meats, and than you for confirming what of course everyone already “knows”, that YOUR hashgocho is just the best in the house, better then any Badatz out there, and that ONLY OK deals with issues that would effect rendering kosher meat “glatt kosher”, so once again Thank you!
    BTW, ad’s are also available on google (LOL)!!!

  • California Cook

    Has anyone tasted the meat? Well I did I bought a 10 pound brisket for Yom Tov expected a full house of guests and the meat was so tough rubber like no one ate it. I know we have to keep up our kosher standards but we should not improvise on quality!

  • CHer

    OK just like everyone else in the shchita business are full of it. They are all out for money. If you think any Kosher supervision company is out for the cause think again!!!

    For some reason OK unearths problems with shchita but non that effect their meat… hhhmmm can’t wait to see what the OU unearth…

    Bottom line: it’s all about the Benjamins!!!

  • Blue

    @California Cook Now you know why they keep then closed up in a pen. If you never moved and didn’t develop any muscle you would also be nice and soft!

  • A concerned jew

    This article is shameful,Loshon Horah at best.It’s just another way of bashing the Hechser of the Badatz etc.Fyi Rabbi Zirkind is one of the two Rabbonim in charge of dealing with Kashrus & if you know anything About The Zirkind family is that they don’t play games & pull Shtick!!! If the Rabbonim are satisfied with How Rubashkin is operating as well as others than this is clear bashing & a further attempt to embarass & falsely accuse others!!! Haypach Ahavas Yisroel & what the rebbe expects from us etc.

  • YS

    I have never had anything but admiration for the OK (which even certifies a very necessary semi-local product that I use here in Ukraine), but this piece, written as it was by a member of the OK staff, is a really bad move on their part.

    Whether or not this is an attempt to take advantage of a perceived problem at a major Anash owned meat enterprise, it is a serious misjudgment that is far beneath the integrity of the OK.

    I hope that for the sake of all involved including the OK itself, that they will find a way to apologize for this unprofessional advertorial for a product that they certify.

  • Anon

    This article has nothing to do with what is going on at Rubashkins. Do you think that kosher meat companies would sell you meat affected by issues rendering it non-glatt or treif?? These are issues that occur BEFORE shechita and are a hassle for the kosher meat companies, because they have many less cows that are kosher!

  • Checked For Myself

    Attn: GreatMarketing!

    I called the OK to personally check out what’s behind this article…

    This is a Press Release, which is put out by a company to alert the public of something relating to the company that is newsworthy. That is what a Press Release is.

    This article has nothing to do with Rubashkins…it has to do with issues specifically present in Uruguay and is reassuring people that OK meat in Uruguay is not affected by these issues.