Do You Follow BQA Protocols?

This drought is forcing many cattlemen to rethink their management strategies. With a shortage of pastures and available forages, many producers are planning to wean their calves early. With weaning around the corner for many, soon the calf crop will be worked and shipped. This is a time where Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) protocols should be followed.

Everything from administering vaccines, to working the calves through the corral, to loading them on the trailer, BQA protocols provide a solid plan for cattlemen to follow to ensure proper animal care and to help produce a safe, wholesome end product for consumers.

In light of the recent release of the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit, which identifies challenges that cattlemen need to address in order to meet consumer demands, BEEF magazine wants to know how you view BQA.

Read a summation of the audit here.

This week’s poll on the beefmagazine.com homepage asks, “Are you BQA compliant?”

With 57 votes in so far, 63% of you say that you are BQA certified and compliant. Another 23% follow BQA protocols but are not certified. Seven percent don’t incorporate BQA principles in their operations at all, and the final 7% aren’t sure.

Where do you fall? Are you BQA certified? If not, why not? If so, what do you do to make sure you are following protocols as you work calves, administer vaccines and ship cattle?