Okla. beef program focuses on quality

Charlotte Anne Smith

Nov. 4, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Enhancing the value of beef cattle was the focus of a program put on at the Washington County Fair Grounds in Dewey, Oklahoma recently which included testing to become a beef quality certified producer.

Adam McClung, director of industry relations for the Oklahoma Beef Industry Council, went over the history of the Beef Quality Assurance program and the information needed to become a beef quality certified producer.

The program was first established in 1982 as a United States Department of Agriculture-Food Safety Inspection Service pre-harvest beef safety program because of antibiotics residue. It also had a residue avoidance program and now has programs throughout all of the 50 states that are devoted to helping the producer produce the best beef possible.

"The mission of the program is to maximize consumer confidence and acceptance of beef by focusing producers' attention to daily production practices that influence the safety, wholesomeness and quality of beef and beef products through the use of science, research and educational initiatives," McClug explained.

He pointed out the loss in profit caused by bruises, injections done incorrectly and other trauma to the carcass.

"You don't want a customer to find a bruise or shot site under the label when she gets home and opens the package," he said. "Don't shoot them with bird shot you can't get it all out."

Bob Brewer, livestock specialist with the Nobel Foundation started his part of the program urging everyone to read labels.

"Read the label," he said. "Before using a vaccine know what it can and can't be used for. Don't use off label unless the vet says so and pay attention to the withdrawal period. That is very important. When you cull cows be careful, remember the withdrawal time since they're going to slaughter."

He also said every producer needs a vet he can work with outside of an emergency, that knows his herd, his circumstances. He would need to know what supplements, feed additives and other drugs were being used before going outside a drug label.

"Keep records," he said. "Overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to develop an immunity."

Among the other things recommended by Brewer were to develop a relationship with your vet in a non-emergency situation; use as low a volume as possible when giving a shot; remember the larger the number on a needle the smaller the diameter and smaller is better; using a shorter needle reduces the risk of going into the muscle when giving a shot designed to just go under the skin; and don't reuse a needle more than you have to.

He also pointed out that soap can kill a vaccine and if you have to clean a needle clean the inside with very hot water, no soap.

Never turn an animal out that has a needle broke off in it and get a vet to remove the broken part.

To prevent a lot of these problems he recommended using a syringe that holds a small number of doses and change needles when refilling the syringe.

Never store vaccines where it is hot. Use an ice chest to keep them cool as heat will destroy the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Kent Barnes, Oklahoma State University livestock specialist, discussed industry targets and some of the practices available to help reach those goals.

"The industry target is zero dark cutters and no injection sites or bruises," Barnes said. "Eliminating defects is an area where you can recoup some value."

Other practices he recommended that can help the bottom line were, choose a breed that has the qualities you want in your end product.

Select a breed and cows that will work within your environment and a bull that meets your target for inheritable traits. The EPD can identify the bull's characteristics.

"Remember, healthy cattle grade better and are higher producers. Eliminating stress will improve cattle carcass grade," Barnes said.

Early placement of calves on feed, six months as opposed to 11 and 16 months showed no indication of a difference in carcass quality and there was no difference in yield grade. The difference was yearlings ate more and were bigger. Days on feed made the difference in yield grade and the longer they were on feed the percentage of fat increased causing a lower grade.

According to him, the thing that had the biggest impact on carcass quality was taking care of the animal. Take care of problems before they happen. Do whatever you can to minimize the movement of cattle from place to place and contact with other cattle.

"Prevention is the cheapest means of controlling disease but not the easiest," he said.

Determine the weaknesses of your operation. Does the feed truck drive up to where the animals are? Are they exposed to newly acquired cattle? Are they standing in mud and manure when they are fed? Determine where the animals will have the best chance of contracting a disease and try to eliminate or reduce the problem. Minimizing stress is the first step.

Randy Pirtle, Washington County OSU educator, spoke on nutrition.

"You have to look at not only what is good for them, but what isn't and the water quantity and quality available," Pirtle said. "You need to monitor their body score to determine if what you're doing is working."

Pirtle also listed a number of other practices that could have a bearing, either good or bad on your success.

He pointed out that in recent years there had been problems with using by-products as some tested high in sulfur and some had a toxicity problem. Distillers' grains are cheap, but need testing for sulfur as there will be a lot of variation.

Feeds need to be evaluated for moisture content and any contaminates. He recommended not storing bagged feed in a shed where machinery and chemicals are stored as there was always the chance of unintentional contamination.

Note days before grazing or harvesting when applying pesticides. Residue stays in hay, especially alfalfa, so a record should be kept after using any pesticides or herbicides.

Always feed quality feed. If hay looks moldy test before using. Also watch for prussic acid as it is common locally, especially after a drought or frost on johnsongrass as this slows the growth and allows the acid to build. After a hard freeze, or if it has been cut for hay the danger is past. You can look at the level of toxicity and dilute the danger by feeding dry hay first. Younger cattle are more susceptible and older females handle it better.

This problem seldom occurs in bermudagrass, but can when the grass has been heavily fertilized.

Remember, if you are mixing your own feed you can't mix ingredients unless they are FDA approved.

"Your record keeping method is up to you, just do it," Pirtle said.

Doug McKinney, OSU Extension, Beef Cattle Value Enhancement Specialist, spoke on adding value to your calves.

"Look at the costs of adding value to your product, branded beef, pre-conditioning, ties with the Oklahoma Quality Beef Network, and see which gives you the best opportunity. If you don't put an ante in the pot you aren't in the running to take advantage of the opportunities. Pre-conditioned, sorted cattle, made more. Add something that enhances or exceeds the expectations and receive a premium Will it increase the net profit or increase the market demand?"

The questions he said each producer should ask themselves were, are you a cattle producer or a beef producer? Are you going to sell or market your calves? Distinguish the advantages your cattle have. Are you aiming to sell organic or Certified Angus (OOTC:ANGSF) beef? Have your cattle been castrated, vaccinated, at what age were they weaned? How many head are you shipping at a time?

He went on to point out things like joining with another producer to provide a truckload was one way to increase the price paid for a set of calves or butcher animals.

Having records on the cattle also helps especially if you are aiming for one of the value added programs.

Ron Kramer of IDEXX Lab in Oklahoma City, Okla., talked about the steps needed to enter the value added programs.

These included production records, how many calves you wanted to certify and the oldest and youngest among them, if they were to be certified hormone free, natural or organic.

"There's not a single Oklahoma producer enrolled as certified organic at this time," Kramer said. "There are fifty plus natural beef programs and they cover a wide range of requirements. You have to make preparations several months in advance to market through any of these niche markets."

Shaun Sweiger, Cattle Stats, LLC, in Oklahoma City, Okla., spoke on eliminating Persistently Infected BVD from a herd.

"Bovine Viral Diarrhea primarily travels like flu, through the air," Sweiger said. "It has a lot of variations like the flu and keeps changing. If a cow catches the virus in the early stages of her pregnancy it creates a persistently infected calf that may look normal when it's born, but will shed the virus infecting other calves. The best way to control the infection is to remove all PI animals from the herd."

Testing to identify these animals is done by taking a small notch from the top of the tip of a calf's ear and having it analyzed. This is the cheapest way to determine if you herd infected.

"Test the calves. If the calves are negative the cows will be," he said. "About 90 percent of the herds are clean. Infected cattle can go to slaughter, there's no human problem. The virus causes abortions and stillborns. The current rate is about four or five per 1,000."

If isolation is used any animal infected should be kept at least eight feet from any other animal. The virus will stay active in the soil for a short time if it is subjected to dry ground and direct sun. However, if the ground is wet it can live about seven days.

To clean up your herd test the calf crop, pen the cows and put the pregnant cows where they can't be infected, test the bull and remove all infected animals. Once you're clean don't go back. Check everything before it comes on the place.

"You can't vaccinate your way out, but it is a good control measure," Sweiger said.

The program ended with a hands-on demonstration on the placement of shots and what happens when they are given incorrectly. Jerry Woodruff of Fort Dodge Animal Health had prepared a calf in advance by giving injections in the wrong location and using the wrong size needles. He then euthanized the calf and showed the damage that had been done to the meat, which included abscesses and scars. He also talked about the right way to give injections, the best location and the proper equipment.

In his anatomy lesson he showed where the backbone dipped down below the top of the neck and the heavy ligament that supports the calf's head. These two items along with the front of the calf's shoulder formed a triangle. This should be the location of all shots, according to Woodruff.

He demonstrated how using a shorter, smaller needle and pulling it back slightly after it penetrated the skin could prevent a shot that was supposed to be just under the skin from going into the muscle. He also cut out and showed how the earlier shots had damaged the meat and reduced the amount of good quality meat that could be sold.

For additional information on any of these subjects contact Randy Pirtle at the OSU Extension Center in Dewey, 918-534-2216.

Sponsors for the event were Cattle Stats, Oklahoma State University, Fort Dodge Animal Health, IDEXX Laboratories (NASDAQ:IDXX) , Oklahoma Cattleman's Association and Oklahoma Beef Council Quality Beef. The noon meal was prepared by the Green County Cattleman's Association.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0358-39440014