feedlot final UPDATED ACTUAL Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What are Beef Quality Assurance Programs (BQA) and what is their relevance? What are some
components that would go into beef quality assurance in a feedyard? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Beef quality assurance programs are standards/practices that help contribute
to the overall consistency, safety, quality of beef produced by many different people. Some
componenets of a BQA program would be animal handling, bunk management, documentation
of health treatments, etc.
Though BQA are not mandated, do many feedyards provide some type of training? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Yes, some feedlots will provide training in one or more of the aforementioned
BQA practices.
Who is responsible for developing BQA guidelines? - CORRECT ANSWER - BQA
guidelines are created by national and local producer organizations with the help of producers/
individuals in the cattle industry. The guidelines can be created for many reasons, some of them
being; in order to improve product quality, abide by government regulations(veterinary feed
directive), or because of social pressures. (natural, humane treatment, etc.)
Describe the role of the consulting nutritionist. - CORRECT ANSWER - A consulting
nutritionist is hired to influence management decisions within feedlots. Nutritionists look at
ration makeup to determine what is best suited for each feedlot. Ultimately, their goal is to
increase production while decreasing costs. This can be through the addition of production
enhancing technologies, or through the adjustment of feedstuffs incorporated in diets.
According to Dr. Turgeon, what are the 5 R's of cattle feeding, and of those 5 R's, which is the
most important? - CORRECT ANSWER - Right feed, right pen, right amount, right TIME
(+/- 5 min) , right way
What is the most important metric for evaluating cattle feeding profitability? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Feed cost/ kg of BW gain - by using technologies you can reduce days on feed
(feed costs are higher, but added production makes it profitable)
, Why is roughage level dictated by management capabilities within a feedyard? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Roughages are not easy to handle or mix into rations constantly. Furthermore,
roughages are very high in starch. Because of this, feeding low roughage levels in rations can
result in acidosis in feedlot cattle. The only way then to feed high levels of roughage without
acidosis onset would be to monitor bunks consistently. In order to manage and read all of those
bunks you would need skilled bunk readers, and a lot of them. Therefore, roughage level is often
dictated by management capabilities.
How can feeding high energy diets to beef cattle be successfully accomplished? - CORRECT
ANSWER - There are a few ways high energy diets could be feed successfully. One,
would be to use a step up ration to allow the ruminal microbes time to adjust. Secondly, you can
use ionophores to promote the correct ruminal microbes. Both of these would result in a
successful feeding.
Describe how days on feed, dressing percentage and cattle end weight have changed over the
past 10 years. - CORRECT ANSWER - DOF has decreased, dressing % and end weight
have increased. This is thanks to improved management practices. Additionally, using production
enhancing technologies.
How are the majority of fed cattle marketed today? - CORRECT ANSWER - On a carcass
basis
How was the NCBA beef sustainability analysis conducted? - CORRECT ANSWER -
They analyzed the sustainability of beef by breaking down sustainability in 3 prongs.
Environmental - Economic - Social; and quantitatively looked at the overall trend of the industry
in this area over the past 30 years.
What are the three pillars that the NCBA beef sustainability project is built upon? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Environment - Economic - Social
What were some of the key findings of the NCBA beef sustainability project? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Overall 12% reduction in environmental impact since 1970. Production of
feed requires majority of energy, water and land used by the industry.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What are Beef Quality Assurance Programs (BQA) and what is their relevance? What are some
components that would go into beef quality assurance in a feedyard? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Beef quality assurance programs are standards/practices that help contribute
to the overall consistency, safety, quality of beef produced by many different people. Some
componenets of a BQA program would be animal handling, bunk management, documentation
of health treatments, etc.
Though BQA are not mandated, do many feedyards provide some type of training? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Yes, some feedlots will provide training in one or more of the aforementioned
BQA practices.
Who is responsible for developing BQA guidelines? - CORRECT ANSWER - BQA
guidelines are created by national and local producer organizations with the help of producers/
individuals in the cattle industry. The guidelines can be created for many reasons, some of them
being; in order to improve product quality, abide by government regulations(veterinary feed
directive), or because of social pressures. (natural, humane treatment, etc.)
Describe the role of the consulting nutritionist. - CORRECT ANSWER - A consulting
nutritionist is hired to influence management decisions within feedlots. Nutritionists look at
ration makeup to determine what is best suited for each feedlot. Ultimately, their goal is to
increase production while decreasing costs. This can be through the addition of production
enhancing technologies, or through the adjustment of feedstuffs incorporated in diets.
According to Dr. Turgeon, what are the 5 R's of cattle feeding, and of those 5 R's, which is the
most important? - CORRECT ANSWER - Right feed, right pen, right amount, right TIME
(+/- 5 min) , right way
What is the most important metric for evaluating cattle feeding profitability? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Feed cost/ kg of BW gain - by using technologies you can reduce days on feed
(feed costs are higher, but added production makes it profitable)
, Why is roughage level dictated by management capabilities within a feedyard? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Roughages are not easy to handle or mix into rations constantly. Furthermore,
roughages are very high in starch. Because of this, feeding low roughage levels in rations can
result in acidosis in feedlot cattle. The only way then to feed high levels of roughage without
acidosis onset would be to monitor bunks consistently. In order to manage and read all of those
bunks you would need skilled bunk readers, and a lot of them. Therefore, roughage level is often
dictated by management capabilities.
How can feeding high energy diets to beef cattle be successfully accomplished? - CORRECT
ANSWER - There are a few ways high energy diets could be feed successfully. One,
would be to use a step up ration to allow the ruminal microbes time to adjust. Secondly, you can
use ionophores to promote the correct ruminal microbes. Both of these would result in a
successful feeding.
Describe how days on feed, dressing percentage and cattle end weight have changed over the
past 10 years. - CORRECT ANSWER - DOF has decreased, dressing % and end weight
have increased. This is thanks to improved management practices. Additionally, using production
enhancing technologies.
How are the majority of fed cattle marketed today? - CORRECT ANSWER - On a carcass
basis
How was the NCBA beef sustainability analysis conducted? - CORRECT ANSWER -
They analyzed the sustainability of beef by breaking down sustainability in 3 prongs.
Environmental - Economic - Social; and quantitatively looked at the overall trend of the industry
in this area over the past 30 years.
What are the three pillars that the NCBA beef sustainability project is built upon? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Environment - Economic - Social
What were some of the key findings of the NCBA beef sustainability project? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Overall 12% reduction in environmental impact since 1970. Production of
feed requires majority of energy, water and land used by the industry.
