Progress 06/01/02 to 05/31/05
Outputs
Beef Quality Assurance education and certification of Montana producers was and continues to be an ongoing project for the Montana Beef Network. Approximately 4000 producers have been exposed to BQA training and over 1200 producers are certified. Certification of beef feeder calves and implementation of an animal identification and tracking system are well established now. Over 24,600 animals were enrolled in the program in 2004 with almost 18,500 tracked for performance and carcass data compared with 7900 enrolled in 2002 and 15,000 enrolled in 2003. Producer education has been a focus of the project with at least 15 interactive television short courses, four Montana Livestock Forums and Nutrition Conferences, three Gate to Plate Seminars and Montana Beef University sessions, and numerous producer meetings around the state presented. Five issues per year of the Beef: Questions and Answers newsletter and the development of a website (www.mbn.montana.edu) added to the
educational efforts. Research efforts have focused on the challenges faced by Montana's cow-calf producers, such as addressing E. coli concerns at the ranch level, the impact of nutrition on morbidity, and the value of early weaning. Over the grant period, Montana MarketManager has improved the resources available to Montana Agricultural producers through the Montana MarketManager Program (MMM). Montana MarketManager has been instrumental in establishing over 25 marketing clubs around the state. The MMM website (www.montanamarketmanager.org) has shown strong improvement. With further expansion of resources happening everyday, MMM online has proven to be a necessary tool for livestock producers across the state. Multiple years of data were analyzed to determine Montana calf quality and feedlot performance. Results from a producer survey indicated that producers who were enrolled in the MBN received approximately $9.00/head more for their calves at sale. With regard to food safety, two
years of research showed that less than 3% of MT calves were shedding E. coli O157:H7 indicating that this is more of a feedlot-segment problem than a cow calf-segment problem for the beef industry. However, one experiment showed that the use of an E. coli O157:H7 vaccine did increase antibody titers against E. coli O157:H7 is the newborn calf. This would be another intervention strategy against E. coli shedding by beef cattle. Through efforts of the MBN, a weaning program was developed which included nutrition vaccines and backgrounding. This program was shown to reduce calf sickness by 50% and has been used on over 130,000 weaned calves in MT. Results of collecting five years of carcass data showed that 62% of MT calves graded choice (national average is 52%) and 35% were able to be enrolled in the Certified Angus Beef program (national average is 16%) which provided added premiums. One hallmark of success for MBN will be the relatively easy adaptation of Montana producers to
mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) and national animal identification programs, such as source and age verification of calves as well as an indication of carcass value.
Impacts
Data collected is used to statistically estimate the effect of the program on calf sale prices, feedlot performance, and end-use quality.
Publications
- Skinner, K., J Paterson, T. Standley, B. Rainey, K. Hager. 2005. Effect of trace mineral supplementation on fecal shedding of E. coli O157:h7 in calves. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, p. 17-20.
- Standley, T., J. Paterson, K. Skinner, B. Rainey, A. Roberts, T. Geary, G. Smith, R. White. 2005. The use of experimental vaccine in gestating beef cows to reduce the shedding of E. coli O157:h7 in the newborn calf. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, p. 21-24.
- Paterson, J., L. Duffey, J. Peterson, S. Pilcher, M. Bridges. 2005. Tracking cattle from the ranch to the packer: The Montana Beef Network and National ID Project. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, p. 191-194.
- Peterson, R., J. Paterson, D. Smith, R. Moxley, T. Klopfenstein, G. Erickson, W. Choat, S. Hinkley. 2005. Vaccination on the ranch as an intervention strategy to reduce the probability of detecting E. coli O157:H7 associated with commercial feedlot cattle. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, p. 209-212.
- Choat, T., J. Paterson, B. Rainey, G. Smith, K. Belk, R. White. 2005. Vaccination as an intervention strategy for reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle feces. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, p. 217-221.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
initiation of a state-wide audit of ranchers to determine value-added practices related to breeding, health management, nutrition and marketing; two-day short courses were held in which issues pertinent to the beef industry were presented; fourteen interactive- television short courses aimed at carcass evaluation, genetic management, opportunities for backgrounding calves and marketing options have been presented over the course of the project.
Impacts
Data collected is used to statistically estimate the effect of the program on calf sale prices, feedlot performance, and end-use quality.
Publications
- L. Duffey, J.A. Paterson, J. Peterson, B. Rainey, K. Skinner, T. Standley and M.King. 2004. The Montana Beef Network. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, 175-178.
- L.M. Duffey, J. A. Paterson, J.E. Peterson, M.C. King and K.M. Rolfe. 2004. Comparison of beef cattle management practices for planning beef quality assurance education. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, 194-197.
- Roberts, A.J., R.P. Ansotegui, J.A. Paterson, and R.N. Funston. 2004. Efficacy of an intravaginal progesterone insert and an injection of PGF2a to advance date of breeding in postpartum beef cows while utilizing natural service. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science, p.11-14.
- Duffey, L. M., J.A. Paterson, J.E. Peterson, M.C. King, W.T. Choat and K.M. Rolfe. 2004 Comparison of management practices between beef quality assurance certified and non-certified producers in Montana. Midwest Section of the American Society of Animal Science (Abstract), p. 13
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
During this past year this program has continued to work on the following: 1) a comprehensive educational program; 2) a cattle certification and (or) tracking system; 3) information feedback and data interpretation to position program participants to respond to changing marketing alternatives and 4) conduct research on issues important to producing quality consistent beef efficiently.
Impacts
Data collected is used to statistically estimate the effect of the program on calf sale prices, feedlot performance, and end-use quality.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
This program continues to comprise the following: 1) a comprehensive educational program; 2) a cattle certification and (or) tracking system; 3) information feedback and data interpretation to position program participants to respond to changing marketing alternatives and 4) conduct research on issues important to producing quality consistent beef efficiently.
Impacts
Data collected will be used to statistically estimate the effect of the program on calf sale prices, feedlot performance, and end-use quality.
Publications
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Cows Which Are Adapted To My Environment And Still Produce Calves Desired By The Customer. Utah State University Field Day, Provo, UT
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Nutritional Requirement of the Beef Cow During Drought. Cow-calf handbook for producers. Univ. of ID, Moscow
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Surviving and thriving in the beef industry. International Livestock Congress. Houston, TX
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Source and Process Verification of Weaned Calves to Ensure Food Safety. Texas A&M Cattlemen's College, College Station, TX
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Beef cow management: keeping up with the change. Western Nutrition Conference. University of Alberta, Edmonton
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Vitamin E Nutrition in Beef Cow/Calf Production. Roche Vitamins Technical Conference. Vancouver, BC.
- Paterson, J.A. 2002. Defining phosphorus requirements for beef cattle. Pacific Northwest Nutrition Conf., University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
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