Beef Quality Assurance helps cattle producers raise healthy, productive and profitable livestock.

Jennifer M. Latzke, Editor

July 5, 2022

3 Min Read
Black baldy heifer calf
BQA TRAINING: With Beef Quality Assurance training and tools, cattle producers from the cow-calf phase through the feedyard phase can ensure that animal health and welfare are managed to the high expectations of consumers. And that protects consumer demand for beef in the end.Jacqueline Nix/Getty Images

Beef Quality Assurance principles have evolved over the past 50 years. Animal scientists continue to gather more information through producer audits and research projects. Armed with this information, they are better able to help cattle producers ensure the health, safety and welfare of not only their livestock, but also their employees.

BQA also assures beef consumers that cattle producers are doing the right thing, and those consumers can feel good knowing they are purchasing a product that’s been cared for every step of the way. Protecting that customer demand for beef is worth real dollars in the pockets of everyone in the beef supply chain.

To many, BQA principles only matter at the feedyard and transportation end of the supply chain. But, as Justin Gleghorn explained at the BQA Producer Forum in Houston in February, those principles need to begin at the very start of the calf’s journey, and follow them from the pasture to the plate.

Gleghorn is the director of value management at Cactus Feeders in Amarillo, Texas. His task — a monumental one — is to manage Cactus’ breakeven projections for more than half a million head of cattle over all of Cactus’ locations. For Gleghorn and the Cactus team, cattle that come to them without the benefit of BQA principles starting from calfhood wind up costing time and money in lost efficiency and animal health concerns — and, ultimately, in lost consumer confidence in beef.

“These programs, at the end of the day, are assuring our customers that the product we’re producing is safe, affordable and meets the needs in line with their expectations,” Gleghorn said. “Right now, demand is strong for our product. The consumer has told us over a number of seasons now they’re willing to pay for our product at various price points.” BQA has built that confidence, he added.

Healthy cattle

For Gleghorn, and feeders like him, healthy feeder calves mean more efficient animals in the feedyard with fewer health concerns, better feed efficiency and reduced mortality in the yard. Feedyards do all they can to reduce mortality because those cattle lose them money.

“In general, you put an animal on feed for 108 days, every point of mortality that we don’t project correctly is going to cost all the other animals in the group $20 a head,” Gleghorn explained. “So at six-tenths of a point of unexplained mortality, you’re looking at $12 a head.” That can not only hurt a feedyard’s bottom line, but it also doesn’t do well for consumer perceptions.

So how can BQA principles help?

Gleghorn said there’s quite a few ways that cattle producers up and down the beef chain can help each other have healthy cattle that ultimately match consumer expectations in the beef case.

  • Labor. The labor force in the cattle industry is very mobile and not prone to staying on one operation for a long time. BQA training and retraining are paramount to ensure that labor knows proper cattle handling for animal and human safety.

  • Caretakers. It takes a keen eye to watch for signs of animal morbidity, and to pull animals for treatment before their conditions get too bad for animal health products to work. BQA training can help caretakers spot signs of trouble before it’s too late.

  • Trucking. Transporting livestock requires more than someone to fill a seat behind the wheel, Gleghorn said. The trucking industry already has challenges in filling openings, but it’s imperative that cattle truckers are trained in BQA, and proper animal handling and transportation.

  • Weaning. Unvaccinated, 600-pound weaned calves with underdeveloped immune systems contribute to mortality rates in the feedyard. Using low-stress handling BQA principles when vaccinating, castrating and weaning heavier calves makes a difference when they get to the feedyard and are placed on rations.

At the end of the day, Gleghorn said BQA principles and training are valuable tools to protect livestock and drive consumer demand for beef. To learn more about BQA training tools and opportunities that are available in your area, visit bqa.org.

About the Author(s)

Jennifer M. Latzke

Editor, Kansas Farmer

Through all her travels, Jennifer M. Latzke knows that there is no place like Kansas.

Jennifer grew up on her family’s multigenerational registered Angus seedstock ranch and diversified farm just north of Woodbine, Kan., about 30 minutes south of Junction City on the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills. Rock Springs Ranch State 4-H Center was in her family’s backyard.

While at Kansas State University, Jennifer was a member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and a national officer for the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. She graduated in May 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and a minor in animal science. In August 2000 Jennifer started her 20-year agricultural writing career in Dodge City, Kan., on the far southwest corner of the state.

She’s traveled across the U.S. writing on wheat, sorghum, corn, cotton, dairy and beef stories as well as breaking news and policy at the local, state and national levels. Latzke has traveled across Mexico and South America with the U.S. Wheat Associates and toured Vietnam as a member of KARL Class X. She’s traveled to Argentina as one of 10 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism. And she was part of a delegation of AAEA: The Ag Communicators Network members invited to Cuba.

Jennifer’s an award-winning writer, columnist, and podcaster, recognized by the Kansas Professional Communicators, Kansas Press Association, the National Federation of Presswomen, Livestock Publications Council, and AAEA. In 2019, Jennifer reached the pinnacle of achievements, earning the title of “Writer of Merit” from AAEA.

Trips and accolades are lovely, but Jennifer says she is happiest on the road talking to farmers and ranchers and gathering stories and photos to share with readers.

“It’s an honor and a great responsibility to be able to tell someone’s story and bring them recognition for their work on the land,” Jennifer says. “But my role is also evolving to help our more urban neighbors understand the issues our Kansas farmers face in bringing the food and fiber to their store shelves.”

She spends her time gardening, crafting, watching K-State football, and cheering on her nephews and niece in their 4-H projects. She can be found on Twitter at @Latzke.

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