The checkoff’s Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and producer education programs are once again teaming with industry partners to present an educational cattle-handling seminar to producers. The Stockmanship and Stewardship Tour, funded in part by your beef checkoff, travels the country and uses live cattle-handling demos to inform cattlemen about the importance and benefits of proper cattle handling — and its critical role in increasing consumer confidence in beef.
The tour includes special hands-on training sessions at livestock auction markets and other venues where cattle producers and others meet to discuss improved stockmanship methods, as well as the pivotal role producers play in sustaining beef quality for consumers.
The Stockman and Stewardship sessions teach handling methods that improve gathering, penning, chute work, and hauling. Much emphasis is placed on ways to increase cattle performance by reducing handling stress, and interactive discussions show how cattlemen can actually shape consumer's perception of beef. Other topics include how the principles presented actually have a significant economic — as well as “quality of life” — benefit when applied in one's operation.
Ryan Ruppert, director of beef quality assurance for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, says this tour is important to cattle producers and the industry for three vital reasons:
1. Welfare: Improved cattle handling leads to improved public perception; Less injury to handlers and cattle; Less carcass damage and trim loss
2. Performance: Increase efficiency; Increased gain; Less investment in veterinary intervention; Less investment into facilities and repair
3. Quality of Life: Improved profitability; Sustainable family operations; Enjoyment of the ranching lifestyle
The tour is led by renowned Montana horseman, rancher and stockmanship instructor Curt Pate and lifelong cattleman Ron Gill, PhD, Texas A&M livestock specialist and cattle handling advisor.
If you would like to schedule a session at your auction market, please contact Tom Field at tfield@beef.org or 303-850-3378 or Grace Webb at gwebb@beef.org or 303-850-3338.
For a complete schedule of upcoming events and more information about the checkoff’s BQA program go to www.bqa.org.
For more information about your checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.