Attention all cattle transporters, dairymen, cattle farmers and ranchers: The Cattle Transportation Symposium, funded in part by the beef checkoff, is set for May 14-15 in Fort Collins, Colo. The symposium provides a venue for industry experts and stakeholders to gather and discuss issues, research, and solutions that directly relate to cattle transportation. The goal is to provide clarity about the state of the industry and the future of cattle transportation in the United States.
Registration for the event is now open and a tentative schedule has been posted.
“Producers will have the opportunity to hear more about loading and unloading practices for ranch, feedlot and dairy cattle, how to select animals that are fit for transport and principles of proper cattle transportation using stock trailers, including loading, hauling, and unloading, as well as weather-related considerations,” says Dr. Dan Thomson, Jones professor of production medicine and epidemiology and director of the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and 2015 National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Educator of the Year.
“Managing cattle stress at the time of transportation is vitally important for the health and well-being of the cattle and safety people working with the cattle,” Thomson said. “Cattle that are stressed are difficult to handle, and the quality of their beef can be affected. This symposium is aimed at teaching producers, packers and dairymen how to get the most value from the carcass and provide consumers with the highest quality beef possible through best animal handling and transport practices.”
Hear from industry experts including Dr. Clyde Lane, University of Tennessee Extension; Dr. Caroline Schwartzkopf-Genswein, AgCanada; Lily Edwards-Callaway, Animal Welfare, JBS; Jason Ahola, associate professor, Beef Production Systems, Colorado State University; Mike Siemens, Animal Welfare & Husbandry, Cargill; Kristen Parman, Livestock Marketing Association; and Jeff Johnson, Out West Trucking.
For more information about the symposium, please contact Chase DeCoite. For more information about checkoff-funded BQA, visit bqa.org, and for more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.
