2002: Montana Beef Network Update

From "Beef: Questions & Answers" newsletter*
by Lisa Duffey, MBN Project Coordinator

As a collaborative effort between Montana State University, the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Frontier Beef, the Montana Beef Network has three goals: 1) Beef Quality Assurance Certification (BQA), 2) Feeder Calf Certification, and 3) Return of feedlot and carcass data to producers.

Beef Quality Assurance training continues to be a vital element to the program with 588 producers certified in Montana's program. BQA is intended to help producers document that they have provided a quality, consistent and safe product for the consumer. Recent evidence showsthat BQA certified calves bring a higher price at sale auctions and are in demand at feedlots. Please make sure that your BQA certification is up-to-date. If you need to certify your ranch for the first time or recertify, it is easy to do.

• Contact your local Extension agent to review the new BQA materials and complete the short test.
• Request a BQA book and CD-ROM, review the material enclosed, take the short test and return it to the BQA office.
• Log on-line to http://animalrangeextension. montana.edu/BQA/Onlinecourse.htm to review the materials and take the test on-line.

Certification costs $20 (re-certification is $10), is valid for 2 years, and is as simple as reviewing the new BQA materials and taking a short test. Do it today!

The MBN has had a very busy fall. Forty-four producers tagged over 6800 head. To date, 5044 animals were also weighed when they were tagged. The average, minimum and maximum weight data from the 44 participating ranches is presented in the following table.
 

We are very optimistic about collecting feedlot and carcass data on the animals enrolled in the Network this year. One of the most crucial steps to the success of this stage of the process is communication. It is extremely vital that the producer communicate with the buyer and feedlot about the desire to receive data, and with Network personnel about the location of the animals.

I encourage you to refer to the MBN website often for information about the beef industry (http://www.mbn. montana.edu/ or at http://animalrangeextension. montana.edu/). It has educational information on issues like drought and illness, the nutrient specifications for the MSU weaning supplement, and links to other sites.

The first MBN Internet Premium Calf Sale was held on Oct. 4, (the second sale was Dec. 6, after the publishing deadline for this newsletter) with Frontier Stockyards (http://www.frontier stockyards.com). These sales are aimed at helping producers capture the added value of preconditioned calves. The cattle feeding industry has told us they want preconditionedbackgrounded cattle, and these sales are one method of highlighting these higher value calves.

We are planning numerous educational programs for the spring through Montana Beef University (see calendar, back page). Your MSU Extension agent can tell you what is planned as they become available.

Beef: Questions & Answers is a joint project between MSU Extension and the Montana Beef Council. This column informs producers about current consumer education, promotion and research projects funded through the $1 per head checkoff. For more information, contact the Montana Beef Council at (406) 442-5111 or at beefcncl@mt.net

 

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 08/29/2006