Beef Quality Assurance Questions & Answers Already Graded A +

Beef quality assurance - - ensures quality meat - leads to positive eating experience for the consumer - ensures quality from conception to consumption - process of figuring out what could go wrong, planning to avoid it and then validating and documenting what you have done History of BQA - - *beef safety assurance program* - residue avoidance program - early focus on injection site blemishes - voluntary industry standards - BQA programs customized by state What does QUALITY mean in BQA? - - wholesome and safe - means providing a product to the consumer that delivers a desirable eating experience What is the BQA mission? - - to maximize consumer confidence and acceptance of beef by focusing the producers' attention to daily production practices that influence safety, wholesomeness and quality of beef and beef products What does BQA focus on? - - care and husbandry - feedstuffs (including feed additives and medications) - injectable animal health products - processing, treatment and record-keeping Care and husbandry practices - - handle and transport in way to minimize stress, injury and bruising - inspect facilities to ensure proper care and husbandry- keep feed and water handling equipment clean - provide appropriate nutritional and feedstuff management - maintain environment appropriate to production setting - evaluating and enforcing biosecurity What is the key with record keeping? - - *must keep records for MINIMUM of 2 YEARS* or longer by laws and regulations Cattle behavior - - need to teach cows HOW to behave - need to anticipate how a cow is going to think and act - separate cows from calves for processing How to think like a cow - - see like the cow = eliminate shadows that prevent cattle from entering an area; cattle move towards LIGHT - minimize loud noises - understand FLIGHT ZONE - natural tendencies = more efficient to move as a group; creatures of habit Flight zone - - aka personal space - aka point of balance - not same for all cattle - used to MOVE cattle