Your Beef Checkoff Investment. Helping You Maximize Dairy Market Cow Value.

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1 Your Beef Checkoff Investment Helping You Maximize Dairy Market Cow Value

2 Milk production and efficiency constantly improve as the result of enhanced animal care, superior genetics, improved management practices and better nutrition. Maximizing the value of dairy animals extends beyond their role as milk producers into their contribution to the beef supply. Dairy producers can take some fairly straightforward steps to assure that a cow s maximum value will be realized.

3 The Audit Dairy Version The beef checkoff-funded 2007 National Market Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit (BQA) was conducted by researchers from seven universities to help the industry establish effective benchmarks to allow for the measurement of continuous improvement efforts. Forty-one percent of the cows audited were dairy cows, mirroring approximately 45 percent of the 2.4 million market cows of dairy origin (USDA, 2007). The latest audit showed an overall improvement in animal welfare and handling practices; nonetheless, quality improvements can be obtained by better management of facilities, handling, transport and processing to minimize bruising, injury and lameness while taking commendably low residue levels to zero. Auditors evaluated approximately 5,000 live animals and observed 10 percent of arriving trucks during this phase and found: 100 percent conformance of truck and trailer loads to the American Meat Institute (AMI) guidelines for spacing percent of the loads were free of near-death cattle and percent of loads experienced zero death loss during transport Use of electric prods has diminished but this practice needs improvement Cattle slipping while being unloaded is low, but still exceeds AMI guidelines and is a problem that needs to be addressed Cattle need to be separated by gender to avoid injuries Dairy cattle traveled shorter distances (an average of three hours and 125 miles) than beef cattle

4 Producer Profit Tips Both beef and dairy producers can work together independently and collectively to improve beef quality and the stewardship of cattle. The following are practical improvement opportunities for dairy producers to consider: 1 When moving cattle, reduce the use of electric prods and other aggressive driving aids. 2 To minimize injuries due to slippage, improve footing in loading ramps, alleys and pens. 3 When transporting cattle, separate by gender to avoid injury or bruising. 4 Administer animal-health products in accordance with BQA standards utilizing the neck as the preferred site of administration, and do so subcutaneously when the label allows. 5 Follow guidelines for animal care and handling (available in the full dairy version of the audit). 6 Market cattle before they become too thin or too lame for transport. 7 Maintain record-keeping systems to verify best management practices and reduce or eliminate potential for liability related to issues of food safety. 8 Optimize the value of market cows and bulls cows and bulls comprise a significant portion of income, so they need to be managed and marketed in ways that add value. 9 Ensure the safety of beef and dairy products cows and bulls must be free of chemical, pathogenic and physical hazards when they enter the marketing chain. 10 Continuously monitor herd health market animals in a timely fashion and intervene early when problems arise. 11 Prevent quality defects bruises, injection-site lesions, improperly placed brands, dark cutters or emaciated cattle are preventable.

5 Our management practices and the assistance from Dairy-Beef Quality Assurance educational resources assist us in marketing only cull cows that are safe and of the highest quality possible for the food chain. Jim Docheff Colorado dairy producer and winner of the 2008 National Dairy-Beef Quality Assurance Award As DBQA producers, we may even be able to obtain premiums for the beef we sell to a few targeted suppliers if they know our management practices and how we are going to assure quality beef. Andy Young Pennsyvania dairy producer

6 The Future for the Dairy-Beef Industry What you can do to help yourself and the industry: 1 Be proactive to ensure the safety and integrity of beef and dairy products. Consumer confidence is one of the most important issues facing dairy producers. 2 Monitor herd health and market cull cattle in a timely manner. Producers should closely monitor their herds for serious conditions, as early detection and diagnosis can help maintain a high-quality, healthy herd. Producers need to work with their veterinarian to identify cows that may need additional care or feeding prior to harvest. 3 Prevent quality defects. Producers should implement a quality assurance program and use best management and handling practices to reduce the incidence of such quality defects. 4 Optimize the value of your market cows and bulls. Dairy producers can, for example, add value to their market cows and bulls by feeding them for a short period prior to marketing to increase weight and improve body condition and carcass characteristics. By sharing the results of checkoff-funded studies such as the National Market Cow and Bull Quality Audit, the industry hopes to assist dairy and beef producers in getting their money s worth for cull cows and ensuring the future success of the industry. Get to know your checkoff visit MyBeefCheckoff.com for more information and to view the full audit report. To learn more about checkoff-funded BQA programs and training opportunities, contact your state Beef Quality Assurance coordinator or visit

7 Your Contribution as a Dairy-Beef Producer Although your primary business is producing milk, you also produce beef from the cows you send to market or the calves you sell. In fact, 20 percent of the U.S. beef production is derived from dairy-breed cows and steers. The total dollar checkoff collection is approximately $79 million. The dairy contribution represents 14 percent of the total. Thirteen of the Cattlemen s Beef Board members are dairy producers, representing an almost equal percent as compared to the percent of revenue collected. Market dairy cows are responsible for 18 percent of total ground beef production, or about 2.1 billion pounds/year. Market dairy cows produce enough ground beef to provide more than 28 quarter-pound burgers for every man, woman and child in the U.S. every year.

8 What s Your Checkoff Investment Done for You Lately? Teamed with Dairy Herd Management magazine to create the online Calf & Heifer Resource Center for dairy producers ( The site contains helpful updates about research and information about feeding calves and heifers, as well as calf and heifer health, management practices, monthly market prices, and much more. Released a 150-page Train the Trainer manual, a comprehensive compilation that gives a formal program definition of BQA and is intended to standardize BQA practices across the United States. Since 1996, product-enhancement research has helped bring more than 2,500 new beef products to market, including a number of new value-added cuts which add value to every animal sold. Research shows that about 44 percent of the meat from cull dairy animals now is used as healthy lean beef cuts like the flat iron steak and other popular dishes, including fajitas and stir-fry. Get to know your checkoff visit MyBeefCheckoff.com, contact your state beef council or write: CATTLEMEN S BEEF BOARD 9000 E. Nichols Ave., Suite 215 Centennial, CO Phone: (303) Fax: (303) Funded by the Beef Checkoff.