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FAILING TO (BIOSECURITY) PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL
Biosecurity in the cattle industry has experienced emerging challenges in recent months and veterinarians have been on the forefront of the response.
EVALUATING FITNESS FOR TRANSPORT DECISIONS – PREPARATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
August 28, 2024
Cattle health is closely monitored in each sector of the beef and dairy industries and continuous improvement is expected from within and outside of the industries. Fitness for transport is an important concept that applies to all cattle stages, from calves to feeders to cull cows and bulls.
PROACTIVE PLANNING FOR NATURAL DISASTERS
July 8, 2024
Every year, farmers and ranchers are faced with management conditions out of their control. Natural disasters can appear quickly and be devastating to an operation and its community. From fires in the west, flooding in the Midwest, and hurricanes in the southeast, agricultural and cattle industries across the country have been truly tested over the past year. Emergency preparedness is integral to keeping people and livestock safe during these events.
INVESTIGATING MULTIMODAL PARASITE CONTROL
June 10, 2024
Cattle producers are creative folks. Talk to producers in different states, even different parts of the same county, and you’ll get multiple ways of solving the same problem. Parasite control definitely fits in this category, along with fence fixing, facility design, nutrition programs, and many others.
INCORPORATING BEEF QUALITY ASSURANCE INTO PRACTICE
May 24, 2024
For nearly 40 years, the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program, funded by the Beef Checkoff and managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), has provided producer education resources to the cattle industry.
RESPONDING TO COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE
April 2, 2024
What do cattle eat? Where do they sleep? How are they treated? When the general public is generations removed from having any connection to agriculture, these are the basic questions often asked of producers.
RANCH BIOSECURITY PLANNING: PROTECT YOUR ANIMALS AND YOUR BUSINESS
March 17, 2024
Every day cattle producers are taking steps to protect their families, animals, and operations from various risks. These risks could include inclement weather, poor nutrition, predators, viruses and microbes, contaminated water, among many others.
MONITORING CALVING STAGES AND WHEN TO INTERVENE
February 14, 2024
Each year calving season brings the promise of new beginnings, long nights, and learning opportunities. Even well experienced cattle producers learn something new every calving season, from a malpositioned calf to an unexpected weather event.
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE IN CATTLE – A LEARNING CURVE
January 17, 2024
There are few cattle diseases that do not have clear prevention strategies. For instance, to mitigate the risk of respiratory disease in cattle, a cattle producer could work on many prevention practices found in the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance program.
LEPTOSPIROSIS– ONE OF THE CATTLE INDUSTRY’S HIDDEN PRODUCTION LOSSES
December 12, 2023
Animal care practices such as developing vaccination and herd health protocols, implementing low-stress handling, and providing good nutrition optimizes cattle health and well-being, leading to a safe, wholesome product for families to enjoy and contribute to human health.
BUILDING ON THE VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP – OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING CATTLE HEALTH AND WELFARE
November 8, 2023
Communication and relationship building are key components of a successful cattle operation. Both require intentional work and active updating throughout the year, depending on what the focus is on. Active communication should be the foundation of the partnership between many parties affecting the cattle operation.
HOW PRODUCERS CAN PREPARE FOR FDA GUIDANCE #263
October 18, 2023
Cattle producers prioritize animal health and welfare daily. Part of responsible cattle care is utilizing the tools we have judiciously and at the appropriate times. The Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has produced guidelines on the judicious use of antimicrobials that the cattle industry has been following for many years.
PAIN MANAGEMENT IN CATTLE - WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?
September 10, 2023
The livestock industry, including the cattle industry, have many responsibilities to their animals, their families and communities, and to the public. Being cognizant of animal welfare during all aspects of production is a top responsibility that benefits the animal and ultimately the business.
BEWARE OF THESE COMMON VACCINE MISTAKES
August 4, 2023
As planning for next year continues, this may be a good time to review the herd health and vaccination protocols for your operation.
SUPPORTING CALVES THROUGH WEANING AND PRECONDITIONING PRACTICES
May 25, 2023
A calf’s life seems simple this time of year. Calves are out in pastures with the cowherd, learning to eat grass and creep feed while having the assurance of a warm milk meal when they want it. At every stage, nutrition, health, management, and facilities will affect the productivity of the calf and its ability to rebound from stressful events.
TEAMING UP WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN
April 4, 2023
Several cattle operations will be enlisting their veterinarians for a number of duties including pregnancy diagnosis, implementing vaccination protocols, and aiding culling decisions. These management factors play a role in the success of the farm, herd, and business.
INSECT CONTROL AND CATTLE HEALTH
March 20, 2023
As spring planting winds down, cattle producers are moving on to other warm weather practices such as prepping cattle for summer pastures. A critical component to optimizing cattle productivity in the summer is parasite control, specifically ectoparasites or parasites that live on the outside of the host animal.
PREVENTION IS KEY TO CONTROLLING CALF SCOURS
March 1, 2023
The calf already represents a substantial investment when it is born, from breeding and genetic selection to nutrition for the dam throughout gestation to the cattle producer’s plan for developing that animal. Ensuring that calf stays as healthy as possible as it grows is integral to both the success of the cow herd and the operation.
CALVINGS SEASONS GREETINGS!
February 27, 2023
Several months (or years) of hard work have prepared you for this calving season. Some cow-calf producers may be calving towards the end of the winter while others are eagerly waiting for spring calving season to start.
MITIGATING WEATHER RELATED STRESS IN BEEF CATTLE
October 25, 2022
As the weather transitions from hot days to cool days, there are strategies to help cattle transition and cope with these weather stressors.
EFFECTS OF WILDFIRE SMOKE ON CATTLE: WHAT RESEARCH IS OUT THERE?
October 14, 2022
Wildfires across the country have constantly made headlines over the past decade. 2020 had the most acreage burned in a single year in decades with 10.3 million acres burned by wildfires in the United States, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center.
WORKER SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RANCH AND WHILE HAULING CATTLE
September 25, 2022
September is National Farm Health and Safety month and bringing awareness to the importance of human safety on any operation is critical because every day, about 100 agricultural workers suffer a lost-work-time injury.
SUSTAINABLE BEEF - GIVING CONSUMERS WHAT THEY WANT
September 14, 2022
Forty-one percent of consumers say they have become more concerned with sustainability in the last year.
FOUR REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE BQA CERTIFIED
August 30, 2022
The cattle industry is constantly changing and evolving, with new research, practices and methods being discovered regularly.
SECURE BEEF SUPPLY & BIOSECURITY PLANNING: THE TICKET FOR NAVIGATING THE STORM
August 17, 2022
The U.S. cattle industry has been fortunate in being protected from foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreaks that are devastating to animal welfare, farming and ranching communities, and local or international economies.
ONLINE MODULES NOW AVAILABLE FOR CALF CARE AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM
August 2, 2022
CCQA promotes a way of thinking that prompts calf raisers to approach management decisions with thoughtfulness and an appreciation for the responsibility they have to their animals, consumers, the environment and the broader cattle industry in the United States.
PRACTICAL PARASITE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF RESISTANCE
July 19, 2022
Summer brings new challenges to the cattle herd as temperatures and humidity increase. One influence of this weather change is parasite growth and its potential effects on all classes of cattle. Parasite management does vary by region with differences in climate, environmental conditions, host susceptibility, and farm/ranch management practices.
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