Beef 101

Pacific Northwest Beginning Rancher Development Program

University of Idaho beginning rancher development program is designed to provide beginning ranchers with useful knowledge and resources to increase success in their operation. This two and half-day in-person workshop will provide information on: animal health, handling and evaluation; natural resource and financial management; beef slaughter and fabrication.

For more information contact Phil Bass at pbass@uidaho.edu.

Future workshop topics

Beef quality assurance and animal health

  • Low stress animal handling techniques
  • Different equipment requirements and facility designs for proper animal husbandry
  • Conduct cattle health examination
  • Vaccination protocols — symptoms and treatment options for sick cattle
  • Assist in difficulties during calving

Bonus (offered for returning participants)

  • Advanced animal health workshop (reproductive anatomy and breeding protocols)
  • A low stress sorting tool for participants

Nutrition and resource management

  • Basics of ruminant digestive system
  • Nutritional requirements of cattle in the Pacific Northwest
  • Basic ration formulation
  • Knowledge on rotational grazing, proper stocking density for environmental sustainability
  • Producing feed with your current facility (such as hay production) to control costs
  • Tour of grazing and haying operations

Bonus

  • Free feed sample analysis for participants
  • A “grazing stick” to determine grass growth and stocking densities at home

Cattle evaluation and beef fabrication

  • Evaluate cattle based on muscle, fat/finish, structure, balance/eye appeal and volume
  • Breeding selection and genetic selection information (expected progeny differences)
  • Cattle body condition scoring
  • Cattle harvest and fabrication demonstration; sensory evaluation of various beef cuts
  • Tour a commercial, USDA–inspected beef packing plant in central Washington or southern Idaho

Bonus

  • Free genetic testing for three herd bulls or cows for participants

Finance and marketing

  • Different market strategies to improve overall sales
  • Improve prices at livestock market auction
  • Record keeping (QuickBooks, Excel)
  • Generate statements such as profit and loss, cost of production per animal and on farm inventory
  • Risk management (market dynamics, balancing assets with debt)
  • Funding assistance (Farm Service Agency, AgWest, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Bonus

  • Examples of enterprise budgets will be provided to build your own throughout the workshop
  • Resources on grant writing and requests for financial assistance

Transitional planning workshop

  • Information to guide a family succession plan
  • Skills to communicate across generations and for conflict resolution

Bonus

  • Participants will be provided with resources to determine fair market values of operations in preparation for estate planning with senior generations

Leadership and advocacy workshop

  • Develop skills to communicate and promote the cattle industry
  • Increase involvement with associations and leadership opportunities
  • Share industry updates, policy changes and current issues

Bonus

  • Opportunities to practice advocacy via social media, in-person conversation and other platforms

Networking and mentorship

  • Beginning ranchers will meet experienced ranchers to find industry mentors (10+ years of ranching experience in the same region)
  • Participants can shadow their mentor to see other facilities and learn other cattle management techniques
  • Mentors will be a resource for participants to answer questions, making contacts