Incorporating Beef Quality Assurance into Practice

Julia Herman, DVM, MS Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff | 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. With a multimedia approach to in-person and online trainings with both printed and video forms, this program guides the cattle industry towards continuous improvement using science-based production practices that assure cattle well-being, beef quality, and safety. Veterinarians have been steady leaders and partners with BQA since its inception. 


When industry groups recognized where beef was falling short of the final customer’s expectations, they took initiative in developing voluntary safety and quality assurance programs for pre-harvest segments of the industry. The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) was the result and is now conducted approximately every five years. Results from this comprehensive survey guides the beef industry’s efforts to improve beef quality through educational efforts like BQA. The 2022 NBQA results are available and can be found at www.bqa.org

The BQA program is nationally coordinated and state implemented, partnering with state BQA programs across the country who organize and execute BQA training and certification opportunities in their state. Consumer research has shown that consumers are more interested than ever about how and where their food is raised. As a result, being BQA certified has become increasingly important to all members of the supply chain. BQA is the bridge between the quality care provided by cattle producers and veterinarians, and what consumers want to know about how their food is raised. With an estimated 85 percent of the U.S. fed beef supply now sourced from operations with BQA certified management, veterinarians are important to enacting, teaching, and sharing these principles with their clients. 

These educational efforts affect the entire cattle industry, from owners to workers to veterinary teams. The National BQA team continues to develop new learning resources that can be integrated into farm training, veterinary open houses, or community outreach opportunities (Table 1). Veterinarians can use these resources to build on new or existing producer relationships to enhance the care and productivity of the operation. These opportunities not only add value to the practice, but they also reinforce livestock veterinarians’ dedication to healthy animals and a safe food supply. It is important not only to the producer and veterinarian, but to the industry as a whole, that cattle are responsibly handled and transported, and welfare of the animal is always a priority. 

Veterinarians serve as key advisors for producers on many aspects of the operation such as animal health and welfare, nutrition, biosecurity, and general consulting questions. These BQA resources can serve as a template for evaluating the operation’s activities and discovering potential areas of improvement. While improved beef quality and safety through minimizing injection site lesions and meat residues was the initial goal of BQA, the program has evolved into a total quality management system that values all aspects of raising cattle. 

Translation of BQA materials into Spanish will be occurring over the next few years. Veterinarians, producers, and anyone involved with worker training recognize the value of material provided in a language that the employee understands and multiple ways of providing that information, such as written, oral communication, or video. This is a major goal of the BQA program as educational resources expand. 

With the cattle industry continuously looking to improve everyday practices on the farm or ranch, it is important producers have the most up to date information and resources. Veterinarians are a key information and training resource who can utilize BQA in their practice. To learn more about the National BQA program, its producer friendly educational resources, and the National Beef Quality Audit, visit www.BQA.org.   

Table 1: Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Resources Available by Sector 

  • All Sectors
    • National BQA Manual 
    • BQA online certification modules (Cow/Calf, Stocker/Backgrounder, Feedyard) * 
    • BQA Field Guide 
    • Continuing Education modules on Biosecurity, Foundations of Herd Health, Herd Health Management, and Stockmanship
    • Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention 
    • Antibiotic Stewardship for Beef Producers 
    • Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) 
    • Cattle Care Agreement 
    • Cattle Care Tool Kit 
    • Animal Health Product Inventory Log 
    • Animal Health Product Temperature Log 
    • Loading Density Charts – Mature cattle and calves 
  • Cow/Calf 
    • Cow/Calf Assessment 
  • Stocker/Backgrounder 
    • Stocker and Backgrounding Assessment 
  • Feedyard 
    • Feedyard Assessment 
  • Calf Raiser 
    • Calf Care & Quality Assurance online certification module*, manual, and sample protocols 
  • Livestock Hauler/Transporter 
    • BQA Transportation manual and online certification modules 
  *Available in English and Spanish

Did you know? 

BQA recognizes programs as equivalencies, including National Dairy FARM evaluated farms, Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) producers in Canada, Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) producers, and Calf Care & Quality Assurance (CCQA) certification. 

This article was originally published in the May/June 2024 issue of Bovine Veterinarian.