Laoheqiao Beef

Laoheqiao Beef

Laoheqiao Beef is an agricultural product with geographical indication.

　　Laoheqiao Beef (Halal)

　　Production Area

　　The production area of Laoheqiao Halal beef includes five townships under the jurisdiction of Wuzhong City: Shangqiao Town, Guojiaqiao Township, Jinji Town, Biandan’gou Town, and Sunjiatan Administrative Committee. The geographical coordinates are between 106°6′–106°22′ east longitude and 37°30′–38°08′ north latitude. The terrain has an elevation ranging from 1126 to 1127 meters, and the landform is predominantly plains. To the west lies the Yellow River, bordering Qingtongxia City; to the south, it borders the Hongsibu Development Zone; to the northeast, it adjoins Lingwu City. It is 59 kilometers away from Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia. The entire region stretches 70 kilometers from north to south and 20 kilometers from east to west, covering a total area of 1,112 square kilometers. The annual total production is 60,000 cattle, amounting to 3,000 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: The topography of Litong District in Wuzhong City is uniquely diverse, combining the beauty of southern water towns with the ruggedness of the northern desert. The terrain slopes from south to north, resembling the shape of a bottle. It generally consists of two parts: the hilly area formed by the convergence of the Niushou Mountain and Luoshan Mountain ranges in the south, and the Yellow River Plain along the Qin Canal, Han Canal, and the Yellow River in the north. Apart from the hilly areas and river floodplains, the land is divided into two major parts: newly irrigated areas and old irrigated areas, accounting for 11% and 38% of the total land area, respectively. Shangqiao Town, Guojiaqiao Township, and Jinji Town are located within the old irrigated areas, while Biandan’gou Town and Sunjiatan Administrative Committee fall within the new irrigated areas.

　　(2) Hydrology: The water resources in Wuzhong City mainly rely on the Yellow River flowing through the region and groundwater. The Yellow River traverses the city, covering a distance of 28 kilometers within the district. The annual average water diversion in the district is 689 million cubic meters, accounting for 17% of the total Yellow River irrigation water in Ningxia. Another water system is the Kushui River (also known as the Shanshui Gully), which runs 54 kilometers through the area, making it the largest natural drainage river in the region, with a maximum flood discharge capacity of 80 cubic meters per second.

　　(3) Climate: Wuzhong City has a continental monsoon climate and falls within the mid-temperate semi-arid climate zone. It is characterized by late spring warmth, short hot summers, early cool autumns, and long cold winters. The annual average temperature is 8.8°C, with a relative humidity of 53%. The annual average sunshine duration is 2,936.4 hours, and the frost-free period averages 173.6 days. The main features include dryness with little rainfall, intense evaporation, scarce but concentrated precipitation, large temperature differences, short frost-free periods, and relatively long sunshine hours. The annual average precipitation is 193.4 mm, mostly concentrated in July, August, and September, often occurring as heavy rain that easily forms runoff. The annual average evaporation is 2,013.7 mm, ten times the amount of rainfall.

　　(4) Humanistic and Historical Background: Wuzhong City is blessed with abundant natural resources and talented people. Known as the “Jiangnan of the Frontier,” it shines brightly in the heart of the Ningxia Plain and enjoys widespread fame due to its long history, important geographical location, rich produce, and strong economic power. As a county-level district of Wuzhong City and the location of the municipal government, Wuzhong serves as the political, economic, and cultural hub of the region, and is also the largest livestock trading and distribution center in northwestern China. The Yellow River flows from south to north across the urban area, and the terrain is flat with fertile soil, crisscrossed by canals, abundant sunshine, and reliable harvests even in drought or flood years. The area produces abundant wheat, corn, soybeans, and other cash crops, with plentiful forage that provides ample material conditions for the development of animal husbandry. Moreover, the local Hui and Han communities have accumulated extensive breeding experience over the years, making beef cattle farming a leading industry for increasing farmers' income, with very solid foundations. In recent years, considering reform, development, and stability, Wuzhong City has accelerated the transformation of traditional animal husbandry into modern animal husbandry and actively promoted the industrialized operation of agriculture. A number of competitive industrial systems have been established, including the dairy industry, Halal beef and mutton industry, and high-quality forage planting and processing. It has been designated as a national agricultural demonstration zone for “high-yield, high-efficiency, and high-quality” transformed agricultural products and as a county-level model for agricultural industrialization.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Selection of Production Area and Special Provisions: The production area of Laoheqiao Halal beef in Wuzhong includes five townships: Shangqiao Town, Guojiaqiao Township, Jinji Town, Biandan’gou Town, and Sunjiatan Administrative Committee.

　　(2) Breed Selection and Specific Requirements: Select breeds such as Qinchuan, Limousin, Simmental crossbreeds, and local yellow cattle. Cultivate yearling to two-year-old castrated feeder cattle, which are fattened before being sent to market.

　　(3) Production Process Management, Including Special Regulations on Agricultural Inputs: The farm site should comply with the principles specified in GB/T18407.3, selecting a location that is sheltered from wind, faces the sun, with high, dry, and flat terrain, good water quality, sufficient water sources, good drainage, convenient transportation, no pollution in the surrounding area, and ease of epidemic prevention. The site must also take full account of forage conditions and align with the habits of beef cattle and local social and natural conditions. There should be no pollution sources such as chemical plants, meat processing plants, leather factories, slaughterhouses, or animal farms within 3 kilometers of the cattle farm. The farm should be at least 1 kilometer away from residential areas and public spaces, and more than 300 meters away from major traffic routes. Medications used for treatment must comply with the regulations of NY5148. Complete records of all medications used must be established and retained. Treatment medication records should include the individual identification number of the cattle, the time and symptoms of illness, the name of the drug (brand name, active ingredient, manufacturing unit), route of administration, dosage, course of treatment, and treatment time. Records for preventive or growth-promoting mixed feed medications should include the drug name (brand name, active ingredient, manufacturing unit and batch number), dosage, and course of treatment. When using medications or medicated additives during the later stage of cattle fattening, withdrawal periods must be observed according to the drugs used. Cattle that do not meet the withdrawal period requirements cannot be sold as premium beef.

　　Residential areas and public places should be more than 1 kilometer away, and major traffic routes more than 300 meters away. The use of therapeutic drugs shall comply with the provisions of NY5148. Records of all drug uses must be established and maintained. Therapeutic drug records shall include the individual identification number of the beef cattle, the time of onset and symptoms, the name of the drug (trade name, active ingredient, manufacturer), route of administration, dosage, treatment duration, and treatment time, etc.; records of preventive or growth-promoting medicated feed shall include the name of the drug (trade name, active ingredient, manufacturer and batch number), dosage, and treatment duration, etc. When therapeutic drugs or medicated additives containing drugs are used during the later fattening stage of beef cattle, the withdrawal period specified for the drug used shall be observed. Those that do not meet the withdrawal period requirements shall not be marketed as premium-quality beef cattle.

　　(4) Regulations on Product Harvesting, Slaughter, Fishing, and Post-Harvest Processing:

　　① All cattle entering the slaughterhouse must use a dedicated entrance. On-site quarantine officers are responsible for strictly disinfecting the cattle and transport vehicles entering for slaughter.

　　② All incoming cattle must wear immunization ear tags and hold origin quarantine certificates. Cattle without immunization ear tags or quarantine certificates are prohibited from entering for slaughter. Animals awaiting slaughter must come from non-epidemic areas.

　　③ Inspect the types of feed additives used, their usage period and withdrawal period, the types of veterinary drugs used, medication periods and withdrawal periods, and relevant vaccination records.

　　④ Quarantine officers conduct strict clinical health checks on cattle entering for slaughter. Sick animals are not allowed to enter for slaughter. If a suspected Class I infectious disease is detected, it must be immediately reported to the local animal epidemic prevention and supervision department.

　　⑤ Cattle that pass the above inspection procedures are moved to the holding pen for 12 hours of isolation and observation. Only when no suspicious conditions arise can normal slaughter proceed.

　　⑥ Quarantine personnel record the entry quarantine details and properly safeguard and detail the collected quarantine certificates.

　　Typical Quality Characteristics and Product Quality Safety Standards

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Laoheqiao Halal beef primarily consists of primal cuts, featuring moderate intramuscular fat, abundant marbling, tender texture, light-colored meat, and a carcass with high lean meat ratio, low fat content, excellent dressing percentage, and eye muscle area.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: The beef is tender, flavorful, and nutritious, with high protein content and low fat. One hundred grams of beef contains 20% protein, 10% fat, 72,000 joules of calories, 170 mg of phosphorus, 3.78 mg of potassium, as well as nutrients such as vitamins B1 and B2.

　　(3) Safety Requirements: In accordance with laws and regulations such as the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law and the Regulations on the Administration of Breeding Livestock and Poultry, as well as the standards for the production of pollution-free livestock products, management of breeding bases is strengthened. Advanced production and management technologies are introduced and adopted to improve production efficiency and reduce costs. The national standards for the production of pollution-free food, including NY5150, NY/T5151, NY5148, NY5149, and NY5147, are strictly enforced.

　　Packaging, Labeling, and Related Regulations

　　In accordance with the NY/T630-2002 Lamb Quality Grading Standard, the packaging specification is 20–25 kg per box. The beef is frozen and stored, with full cold-chain transportation. The packaging must indicate the agricultural product geographical indication “Laoheqiao Beef (Halal).”