Caring for Beef Cattle
Walking pastures - To check the health of animals, as well as the availability of food, water and shelter, pastures must be monitored regularly.
Supplying supplemental grain or hay - Supplemental nourishment is often necessary during the winter months and droughts, when pastures can't provide enough food for the herd.
Providing one-on-one medical care - If an animal is injured or sick, the producer will isolate it from the herd to provide one-on-one care, often calling in a veterinarian or university animal scientists for advice.
Providing birthing assistance - Producers dutifully monitor pregnant cows, at times staying up through the night to ensure a safe delivery.
Monitoring environmental conditions - Producers are constantly tracking air, water and ground quality to comply with EPA regulations and ensure the safety of their animals.
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) programs
In the 1980s, the Beef Quality Assurance Program (BQA) incorporated animal welfare practices into its producer education programs. The Producer Code of Cattle Care, developed by the BQA Advisory Board in 1996, served as the first formalized animal welfare guidelines for the beef industry, laying the groundwork for how producers care for their animals today. Among other guidelines, these standards call for producers to:
Provide necessary food, water and care to protect the health and well being of animals.
Provide disease prevention practices to protect herd health - including access to veterinary care.
Provide facilities that allow safe, humane and efficient movement and/or restraint of cattle.
Use appropriate methods to euthanize terminally sick or injured livestock and provide personnel with the training and experience needed to properly handle and care for cattle.
Make timely observations of cattle to ensure basic needs are being met.
Minimize stress when transporting cattle.
Keep updated on advancements and changes in the industry to make decisions based on sound production practices and consideration of the animal's well being.