Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) And BQA Transportation Certification Sessions Set In Southwest Iowa

Nov 15, 2022

Producers and haulers who need to renew or obtain their certification in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) or Beef Quality Assurance Transportation (BQAT) can preregister now for in-person trainings for both programs to be held in southwest Iowa. Offered by the Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the sessions are set for Nov. 29 in Oakland and Dec. 6 in Clarinda. ISU extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk is organizing the sessions and said both are provided at no cost.

"BQA certification in necessary for anyone who markets fed cattle to major packers, and BQAT certification is necessary for custom haulers or producers delivering fed cattle to certain packing plants," Lundy-Woolfolk said. "For cattlemen who market fed cattle and deliver their own cattle to the packing plant, both BQA and BQAT certifications may be necessary, depending on the packer."

The Nov. 29 location is at the Oakland Community Center, 614 Dr Van Zee Rd. The BQA session will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and the BQAT session from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to preregister by calling the East Pottawattamie County Extension Office at 712-482-6449 or emailing ellundy@iastate.edu.

The Dec. 6 location is at the Wibholm Hall, 200 S 6th St, Clarinda. The BQA session will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the BQAT session from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to preregister by calling the Page County Extension Office at 712-542-5171 or emailing xpage@iastate.edu. A free meal will be served at 7:30 p.m. thanks to sponsorship from Page County Cattlemen.

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Dan Weary is a Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dan did his BSc and MSc at McGill and Doctorate at Oxford before co-founding UBC’s Animal Welfare Program where he now co-directs this active research group. His research focuses on understanding the perspectives of animals and applying these insights to develop methods of assessing animal welfare and improving the lives of animals. His work has helped drive changes in practices (including the adoption of higher milk rations for calves and pain management for disbudding) and housing methods (including the adoption of social housing for pre-weaned calves). He also studies cow comfort and lameness, social interactions among cows, and interactions between cows, human handlers and technologies like automated millking systems that are increasingly used on farms. His presentation will outline key questions in cattle welfare, highlight recent UBC research addressing them, and showcase innovative methods for improving the lives of cattle and their caretakers.