Beef Cattle Production and Handling

News, Information and Education about Beef Production

SACPA members stay abreast of new developments in beef production by attending our semi-annual meetings.  When the Beef Quality Assurance program first started, SACPA members were among the first cattlemen certified, with the training given at one of our regular meetings. They received hands-on-training in how to test bulls for trichomosis, a fetus-killing venereal disease, at another of our regular meetings. Other topics have included animal ID technology, testing cattle for BVD, and other ways to improve profits through providing buyers better assurance of a high quality beef product.

Not surprisingly, the better care an animal receives, the better the quality and higher profitability it returns to producers and buyers. Please explore some of the links below.  More information is available through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

What is Beef Quality Assurance?

Become Certified in Beef Quality Assurance

Handling –

• Iowa Beef Center’s Handbook on Beef Cattle Handling Facilities
• Drovers | It’s Time to Toughen Animal Ag’s “Good Hands” Rules
• Drovers | What is the best way to castrate calves?
• Canadian Beef Cattle Research Council| Is Bloodless Dehorning Really Painless?

Preconditioning –Preconditioning Beef Calves – The Numbers Don’t Lie!

Profitability –Feed Efficient Cattle Trial–Breeding For Feed Efficiency Dec 22, 2011

Nutrition –

• Selenium Deficiency in Arizona Range Cattle
• Colostrum is liquid gold for newborn calves Feb 9, 2012 | Kevin S. Gould | Colostrum makes the difference in life and death for calves.

Technology – Israelis Using DNA To Beat Cattle Thieves – And Kashrut Fraud