The production of high quality milk is central to the dairy operation. Yet dairy producers have another product that must meet consumer expectations: BEEF. When better quality cows leave the farm and reach the market place – producers, packers and consumers all benefit. DBQA helps the quality-conscious dairy producer meet the expectations of the quality-conscious consumer while also increasing dairy profitability.
Most dairy farms market about 1/3 of their adult dairy cows each year. They can be losing $70 per animal or more due to quality defects and poor condition. DBQA maximizes the quality and value of these dairy cows at the market place just by following a few simple guidelines, which producers learn through both classroom and cow-side training. Production standards provide benchmarks to develop best management practices (BMPs) in areas such as animal ID, records, and proper injection site techniques. The DBQA classroom workshops emphasize these BMPs and how to implement them. The cow-side training includes proper injection site technique and demonstrations. After completing the two-part training, producers conduct a self-assessment of their own dairy to identify risk areas. They also complete a personal contract. This personal contract outlines the BMPs in place on the farm to meet program specifications.