Becoming BQA Certified Can Change Your Bottom Line By Kelsey Pagel, for the Red Angus Magazine The Beef Quality Assurance program has been around since 1987 when it was developed for, and by, producers to set a standard for cattle care techniques. It’s a nationally managed, state-implemented program. Dr. Julia Herman, beef cattle specialist veterinarian with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association shared, “Initially, the Beef Checkoff-funded BQA program focused on teaching proper injection sites which improved how we treat cattle and also improved meat quality.” “Over the past thirty years, the BQA program has evolved into a total quality management system that evaluates all aspects of the cattle operation, from nutrition and genetics to stockmanship and herd health, and provides principles based on the latest scientific research,” said Herman. “The BQA program demonstrates the commitment to animal care and welfare that our producers show every day, which improves confidence in the industry by consumers.” The program has evolved into teaching science-based best management practices and is frequently touted as, “The best industry resource for how to improve management techniques to increase profitability and improve the quality of our product,” according to Kim Brackett, chair of the BQA Advisory Group and Idaho cattle rancher.
There are several different programs within BQA depending on the operation. There are cow/calf, stocker/backgrounder or feedyard modules. Most recently, a new Beef Quality Assurance Transportation module was rolled out to beef haulers, which is relevant to both professional transporters and ranchers hauling cattle with stock trailers. The program is also in the process of developing a new module targeted directly at the calf raiser, Calf Care & Quality Assurance. This is a coalition between the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management program, the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association and Veal Quality Assurance. There are also advanced education modules in the BQA program, such as biosecurity, that take a deeper look at the BQA national manual for those producers seeking further and more in-depth education. The importance of recordkeeping cannot be underscored enough, according to Herman. “BQA develops important assessment and recordkeeping tools that all cattle producers can benefit from. The daily biosecurity plan for disease prevention emphasizes preventative biosecurity practices that can be implemented,” she said. “The new BQA Feedyard Assessment is
a comprehensive analysis of feedyard protocols and implementation that can prepare a feedyard for potential audits. All of these tools Kim Brackett contribute to the continuous improvement that our cattle producers strive for and can be used in collaboration with the herd veterinarian Dr. Ron Gill to develop annual herd health plans,” added Herman. How can producers become certified? There are two different methods, depending on the producer’s preference. There are classroom-type settings, which are in person with hands-on components, and normally take a half day. These sessions review all the foundations of the programs. The other available option is online certification. The modules are available 24/7 and can be completed at the producer’s own pace. The new BQAT program is also available in person or online. Both BQA and BQAT certificates are valid for three years. The BQA team is constantly updating the information in the modules so when it’s time to renew certification, producers can be confident they’re getting the most relevant and up to date scientific data. “Ultimately it [getting BQA certified] boils down to the fact that our society is several generations distanced from rural life and at the same time our society has become skeptical about our food supply. Those two facts lead to
Dr. Julia Herman works with producers to help them understand and implement BQA procedures on their farms and ranches. 34
RED ANGUS Magazine | May/June 2022
