Attend the Producing Quality Beef Workshops
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Beef Council, and UW-Madison Division of Extension Livestock Program are hosting a series of workshops that will focus on producing quality beef in Wisconsin.
Each workshop will be from 10 am to 3 pm.
Lunch is provided, and there is no cost to attend.
Pre-registration is requested 7 days in advance to ensure that plenty of food and handouts will be available for everyone.
Agenda Topics
- Live cattle evaluation and discussion with packer representatives – packer & sale barn managers
- Impacts on value: shrink, mud, dirt and fitness for transport
- Meat quality defects – real examples from the packing plant
- 2022 National Beef Quality Audit Results
- Quality and yield grades discussion and hands-on practicum
- Pre-harvest factors that impact meat quality
- Feeding and management practices to produce cattle the market seeks
Dates & Locations
December 3, 2024
Richland Center Equity Livestock Sale Barn
26702 Co Hwy O, Richland Center, WI 53581
February 12, 2025
Blooming Livestock Exchange
9663 Co Hwy A, Bloomington, WI 53804
February 26, 2025
Altoona Equity Livestock Sale Barn
5150 US-53, Eau Claire, WI 54701
February 28, 2025
Milwaukee Stockyards
N3645 Co Rd J, Reeseville, WI 53579
A meal will be served. Please RSVP.
Registration
or call the Wisconsin Beef Council at (800) 728-BEEF (2333) or 608-833-7177.
These workshops are a cooperative effort with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, and Wisconsin Beef Council. Support is also being provided by Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association, Bloomington Livestock Exchange, and Milwaukee Stockyards.
Complete details
What physical traits enhance or detract fed cattle values? Why do some fed cattle sell for more or less than others? What opportunities did the latest beef quality audit find? These topics and more will be the focus of “Producing Quality Beef” workshops slated at four locations around the state in February and March.
The workshops will begin at 10 a.m. with a discussion from a cattle buyer will include what type of cattle have the greatest demand based on consumer preferences and traits that add or lower fed cattle value. Adding to the cattle evaluation will be a discussion on how mud, manure and gut fill impact dressing percent, and impacts that mobility/fitness for transport have on cattle value.
A discussion of the latest National Beef Quality Audit will highlight improvements that have been made and where there are opportunities to better meet consumer demand. In addition, participants will be able to see a variety of quality defects that packing plants encounter and learn how that impacts the industry and cattle prices.
Following lunch, sessions begin with quality and yield grade discussions and a hands-on opportunity for participants to measure the ribeye, back fat and try their hand at assigning quality grades to some real beef ribs. There will also be discussions on feeding and management to produce finished cattle that the packers are seeking, and on pre-harvest factors that impact meat quality.
