Beef Cattle Management Update

Cow/calf and feedlot producers and those who provide professional assistance to them are very aware of the need to produce feeder/fed cattle profitability, but often fail to put sufficient emphasis on ensuring consumers a quality and consistent beef product. A heightened awareness of the importance of beef quality and consistency has occurred throughout the beef industry during the 1990s. The first indication on a national scale was the establishment of the Value-Based Marketing Task Force in 1990. This act essentially started the "war on fat" which has really turned into an attempt to assess the overall quality and consistency of beef at the packing plant, in the retail store, and in the eyes of consumers through various studies (Table 1).