Production management series moves veterinarians to new role in beef cattle operations

Abstract

Twenty veterinarians from nine states recently became the first certified graduates of the Beef Cattle Production Management Series conducted facility, near Clay Center, NE. Certification is the final step in a yearlong program that brought these livestock professionals to the forefront of the movement to expand Integrated Resource Management ORM) into cow-calf and feedlot operations across the nation. The goal is to extend their skills beyond traditional veterinary technical service to working as part of a team effort toward the success of beef cattle programs.

Rather than a review of veterinary skills, the program provides intensive training in 11 key areas: record keeping, nutrition, range management, communication, breeding animal selection, accounting and finances, time management, feedlot and packing house procedures, marketing and risk management, media issues and the computer skills necessary to maintain all of these operations. The result is a united effort for producer profitability.