Information to Record
According to the National Beef Quality Assurance Guidelines animal treatment records will be maintained with the following recorded:
- Individual animal or group identification.
- Date treated.
- Product administrated and manufacturer’s lot/serial number.
- Dosage used.
- Route and location of administration and who administered the product.
- Earliest date animal will have cleared withdrawal period.
Records should include specific information to track the following:
Selling Performance & Confidence Animal performance can be optimized only if the livestock managers and handlers respect the animals themselves. Following and documenting our management practices not only improves efficiency — in the end it helps increase consumer confidence in the beef industry. Consumers buy what they trust and confidence comes from trust — a trust we must earn. There are fewer and fewer of us ranchers and cattle feeders — and consumers don’t know us like they once did. In most cases their lifestyles are far removed from our lifestyles. Changes in demographics, government, media, etc. are making it even tougher and the standards required of us may seem impossible. But, as Beef Quality Assurance practices are ingrained into our life’s work, the entire beef industry can stand up to the scrutiny and accountability demanded by beef consumers. It is up to you to determine where and how BQA fits into your management objectives. And remember, cattle like people are never too YOUNG or too OLD to have a quality defect. BQA is Everyone’s Job |
Procedures
- Shipping & receiving cattle
- Processing
- Calving
- Breeding
- Health treatment/vaccinations
- Feed Inventory
Processing
- Weaning
- Vaccinating/treatment
- Dehorning
- Spaying heifers
- Implants
- De–worming
- Identification
Calving
- Birth date/weight
- Supplement given
- Tag &/or tattoo
- Calf starter/booster/vaccines
Breeding
- Natural service records
- When bull is turned out/pulled
- With what cows (individual or groups)
- A.I. breeding records
- Personnel in charge
- Time & date of synchronization
- Method & type of synchronization
- Heat checking
- Dam & sire mating
Identification Methods
- Visual (panel) tags
- Tattoos
- Wattles
- EID
- Hot iron or freeze brands
Herd Health Records
- Treatment of animals
- Bull health records
- Annual vet checks
- Disease screening
- Trichomonosis testing
- Breeding soundness exams
Feed Inventory
- Date shipped/received
- Type & amount
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Montana Beef Quality Assurance,
821 N. 27th St., PMB 159,
Billings, MT 59101,
406-896-9068(o), 406-671-0851(m)
cpeck@montana.edu
Montana Beef Network,
119 Linfield Hall
Bozeman, MT 59717,
406-994-4323,
mharbac@montana.edu
