Beef Cattle Code of Practice Open for Public Comment

Public Comment Period Last Step In Process of Updating Cattle Code

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The Beef Cattle Code of Practice is in its final stage of a process to update the existing the code with the public comment period. The public comment period is open until March 8th.

The code of practice is a guide for all beef cattle producers to outline what are the best animal welfare practices for the care and handling for beef cattle.

The process of updating any code of practice is a fairly lengthy one, as it was first initiated in Sept. 2010 and since then has gone through a series of processes, including surveys to insure that the revised code will reflect the most up-to-date information on animal welfare standards for beef cattle. The revised code is scheduled to be released in June 2013.

The following is a list of the key priorities that will be covered in the Beef Cattle Code of Practice update:

These animal welfare topics address the best methods and age:

•Branding
•Castration
•Dehorning

This list covers points related to health and morbidity:

•Respiratory disease
•Lameness
•Diseases caused relating to nutrition i.e. acidosis, laminitis, liver abscesses etc.

Covers housing conditions and other environmental aspects:

•How mud-effect impacts health and welfare
•Defining what is the most ideal types of shelter
•Discussing extreme weather conditions impact on animal welfare

The last sections will cover points pertinent to best weaning strategies.

Here is some more info on how to participate in the public comment period: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NFACCbeefcode