BQA

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I am but have never seen any reason to be. The only reason I am is that they were doing a seminar one day at the sale barn when I went to drop off a cull cow, so I payed my $10, listened to the presentation, visited with the vendors, ate a steak lunch and went back home.
 
bird dog said:
I am but have never seen any reason to be. The only reason I am is that they were doing a seminar one day at the sale barn when I went to drop off a cull cow, so I payed my $10, listened to the presentation, visited with the vendors, ate a steak lunch and went back home.
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Its lots more than that here. We do chuteside and everyone has to properly give injections. But also properly follow the label. Test at the end of the classroom part.
 
I don't know of anyone certified around here. And I have never heard of a class being offered. I wonder about that 85% figure. I went to about 2,000 calves worth of brandings this spring and as far as I know none of those owners are certified.
 
I'm BQA and BQA TRANSPORT certified because I have to be, to sell and deliver cattle to Tyson.
I think it's a total freaking joke! I certified online. The first time I did it my son was nine at the time. He passed with 100%. I was complaining to my Tyson buyer that they need to make it harder so it actually means something. He said if they made it harder they would struggle to get enough producers certified .
 
As far as my certification meaning anything to anyone but me im not sure it does. But i feel i have learned a lot by doing it. I try my best to follow BQA from sorting, vaccinations, loading, hauling.
We have had a couple cost share things in the past that required BQA to apply.
 
@SBMF 2015 I don't think the point is being hard or at least it shouldn't be.
I see it as a practical way to encourage better handling practices.
It benefits everybody down the line when injections are given in the neck as opposed to the hip like they used to be.
Proper handling of vaccines helps to insure better vaccine efficacy.
The tips on quieter working of cattle all makes for atleast an effort made to improve the product. In my young days it was common to see people work and load cattle with tobacco sticks, whooping and hollerin the whole time.
Now it's hardly ever making contact and much quieter.
 
We have our LPA accreditation that I have to renew periodically and have to answer questions to pass each section. I often get something wrong and have to redo that section mainly because I find the question ambiguous. It is just a formality to redo it and tick the right box like every child player receives a prize but it does get you thinking in the right direction as far as food safety, animal welfare etc which is so important these days with so many activists out to get us on every little point.
Ken
 
Ky hills said:
@SBMF 2015 I don't think the point is being hard or at least it shouldn't be.
I see it as a practical way to encourage better handling practices.
It benefits everybody down the line when injections are given in the neck as opposed to the hip like they used to be.
Proper handling of vaccines helps to insure better vaccine efficacy.
The tips on quieter working of cattle all makes for atleast an effort made to improve the product. In my young days it was common to see people work and load cattle with tobacco sticks, whooping and hollerin the whole time.
Now it's hardly ever making contact and much quieter.
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But that's all common sense. The good livestock producers who care about their animals were all ready practicing good vaccination protocols and realize that if you try to force 3 animals through an alley that is designed for single file it causes bruises and elevated stress.
I think it's more of a generation thing; a lot guys my grandpa's age had cows because they had X amount of acres that couldn't be row cropped, but they needed to generate income from. So they had cows that half way had to take care of themselves. Of course working those calves was a stressful job.
Fast forward to guys my age; most young farmers don't want to work hard enough to have cattle. Those of us that do truly enjoy them. We have invested time and money into handling facilities that are safe for cattle and handlers. We understand that good vaccination practices are the right thing to do.
 
SBMF 2015 said:
But that's all common sense. The good livestock producers who care about their animals were all ready practicing good vaccination protocols and realize that if you try to force 3 animals through an alley that is designed for single file it causes bruises and elevated stress.
I think it's more of a generation thing; a lot guys my grandpa's age had cows because they had X amount of acres that couldn't be row cropped, but they needed to generate income from. So they had cows that half way had to take care of themselves. Of course working those calves was a stressful job.
Fast forward to guys my age; most young farmers don't want to work hard enough to have cattle. Those of us that do truly enjoy them. We have invested time and money into handling facilities that are safe for cattle and handlers. We understand that good vaccination practices are the right thing to do.
Click to expand...
I'll agree with that assessment, though I think the emphasis is on generational practices vs the more modern ways.
I'm not too far from 50, and around here that was kind of a transitional time period, as far as cattle handling.
Prior to that the older folks ( who I am not knocking at all, because there were some great knowledgeable cattlemen there) for the most part they used makeshift head gates, loading pens etc.
Used to hear quite a few stories about working cattle by roping them and tying off to a tree or fence post barn post etc.
The ways they worked cattle were common sense at the time, using what they had to work with.
When I was a young child there weren't many trailers, there were still quite a few trucks with cattle racks and homemade loading chutes. Tough job getting cattle up those chutes sometimes, but even then you're right, people knew not to crowd them on the truck. Definitely didn't want any getting down or hurt.
Through education about safer and better handling and more widespread use and availability of modern working chutes, corral panels, etc. Most people have by now updated their working facilities.
Knowledge and understanding of vaccines and proper storage and usage and proper injection sites, and types of injections, has come a long way,
It is pretty much common knowledge now, but that is because it's been talked about and promoted for quite awhile and the younger folks have grown up doing things this way, from folks that learned it over the course of their working life.
 
Ky hills said:
I'll agree with that assessment, though I think the emphasis is on generational practices vs the more modern ways.
I'm not too far from 50, and around here that was kind of a transitional time period, as far as cattle handling.
Prior to that the older folks ( who I am not knocking at all, because there were some great knowledgeable cattlemen there) for the most part they used makeshift head gates, loading pens etc.
Used to hear quite a few stories about working cattle by roping them and tying off to a tree or fence post barn post etc.
The ways they worked cattle were common sense at the time, using what they had to work with.
When I was a young child there weren't many trailers, there were still quite a few trucks with cattle racks and homemade loading chutes. Tough job getting cattle up those chutes sometimes, but even then you're right, people knew not to crowd them on the truck. Definitely didn't want any getting down or hurt.
Through education about safer and better handling and more widespread use and availability of modern working chutes, corral panels, etc. Most people have by now updated their working facilities.
Knowledge and understanding of vaccines and proper storage and usage and proper injection sites, and types of injections, has come a long way,
It is pretty much common knowledge now, but that is because it's been talked about and promoted for quite awhile and the younger folks have grown up doing things this way, from folks that learned it over the course of their working life.
Click to expand...
I have a running question with vets around here each spring;" How many times have you had to rope a cow in a pasture and pull a calf this spring?" For the last several years it has been an overwhelming answer- 0. They tell me those kind of herds are all but gone and the ones left they won't call on.
I'm all for educating producers to do better.
The part that erks me most is that the packers are using it as marketing PR to give the bunny huggers a warm fuzzy feeling. When in reality we've been doing it all along because it's the right thing for our animals.
 
SBMF 2015 said:
I have a running question with vets around here each spring;" How many times have you had to rope a cow in a pasture and pull a calf this spring?" For the last several years it has been an overwhelming answer- 0. They tell me those kind of herds are all but gone and the ones left they won't call on.
I'm all for educating producers to do better.
The part that erks me most is that the packers are using it as marketing PR to give the bunny huggers a warm fuzzy feeling. When in reality we've been doing it all along because it's the right thing for our animals.
Click to expand...
Yes, definitely, I see your point and agree. It's what we do and and have been doing. We understand that doing things right for our animals is the best way. Old friend used to say you can't cut corners and you can't starve a profit out of em. He's right, but yet the general public thinks we all neglect and mistreat, fill full of antibiotics and whatever other nonsense that they think.
We do most work ourselves, but do get a vet to palpate and work through them in the barn through the chute once a year.
It's been several years since, 10-12 at least since I've had a vet out to pull a calf in the field. Usually we can get them to the barn, but like that time back then sometimes just can't get them up. Had bought some bred registered Angus heifers, kind of wild, no way of me getting her up by myself. Vet came and darted her. When she slowed down he got a rope around her and secured her to a fence post to pull the calf.
I remember my dad telling a story that happened probably 45-50 years ago, that he called the local vet to come out and work some 400 lb calves they'd bought. Vet told him he would on one condition that he could bring his chute.
They didn't like the homemade chute that he had back then.
I've had 2 squeeze chutes over the last 35 years.
 
SBMF 2015 said:
I have a running question with vets around here each spring;" How many times have you had to rope a cow in a pasture and pull a calf this spring?" For the last several years it has been an overwhelming answer- 0. They tell me those kind of herds are all but gone and the ones left they won't call on.
Click to expand...
Okay, in my defense: she was 6, not her first rodeo, and I already had her roped & snubbed to my grill. ;)😁
 

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