Beef Quality Assurance Certification:

Some major beef purchasing companies, most notably Tyson, Wendy’s and Cargill, are requiring any beef that enters their supply chain to be purchased from Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified sources.  Expect this trend to continue.  Many livestock auctions are now asking that farmers who bring cattle to their auction obtain the BQA certification and keep a copy of the certificate on file with the auction.  This affects both beef cattle and dairy cattle that enter the beef supply chain.  Here are two upcoming BQA certifications scheduled in our area:

• Monday, February 25, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Wayne County Administration Building, 428 W. Liberty Street Wooster.  The program will be held in the commissioners meeting room.  Capacity 40 persons.  Pre-register to the Wayne County Extension office at 330-264-8722 to reserve a seat.  First come, first served.  No charge for the program.
• Monday, March 18, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Mount Hope Livestock Auction at 8076 SR 241 Millersburg.  Pre-register to the Holmes County Extension office at 330-674-3015.  No charge for the program.

Beef School Webinar

A recorded beef school webinar, organized by the OSU Extension Beef Team, will be shown in the commissioners meeting room of the Wayne County Administration Building on Wednesday evening February 27.  The webinar will run from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  The theme of the webinar is “Winter Management of the Cow Herd to Insure a Productive 2019”.  Topics that will be covered include: forage quality, body condition of the herd, nutritional requirements from the last trimester through breeding, impacts of nutrition on heifer development, return to estrus and conception rates, and calf health and management of calves born in stressful conditions.

Please pre-register with the Wayne County Extension office at 330-264-8722 by Monday, February 25.