The Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) at Kansas State University has created a standardized, online training program for the national Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. Feedyard personnel were the initial target, but BCI has since developed training modules for all segments of the beef industry at www.animalcaretraining.org. Individuals who complete the training will become BQA certified.
Comprehensive BQA training modules are available for a broad range of people who care for cattle and, thus, have an impact on beef quality. The web site also offers more targeted packages for specific operational areas. BQA packages currently available include comprehensive, cow-calf producer, feed mill and delivery crew, processing and doctoring crew, and stocker/backgrounder. Training also is available in the areas of animal abuse avoidance, calving management, food safety and employee hygiene, non-ambulatory cattle management and routine cattle surgery techniques.
The training modules are in English and Spanish and utilize audio, pictures and slides to facilitate all internet connection speeds. After watching the training video in each section, participants take a quiz before advancing to the next module.
Clayton Huseman, executive director of the KLA Feedlot Division, explains the new online training tool in a video posted below. Huseman manages BQA programs for KLA. A story in the July Kansas Stockman, due out at the beginning of next month, will provide more details about the BQA online training program.