2021 Feeding Quality Forum
The 16th annual Feeding Quality Forum was held in Fort Collins, Colorado. It brought leading beef industry minds to attendees to look at the current demands in the beef marketplace to help cattlemen find solutions.
Below you’ll find recaps from each speaker, recordings of their presentations and news coverage from the CAB Cattle Crew.
Industry Achievement Award:
Bob Smith, Ph.D.
Dr. Bob Smith, or “Doc Bob,” is the kind of man that looks to others’ success before his own. One that endeavors to be a life-long learner and shares that knowledge with anyone it’ll help.
He’s also our 2021 Industry Achievement Award recipient. His work as a bovine veterinarian for the past 40 years has helped feedyards and stocker operations go above and beyond the basics of animal care and health. He’s been with BQA since it’s early years and has helped shape what it is today – not to mention conducted countless BQA trainings.
2021 Session Coverage
Global Market Overview
Dan Basse, AgResource Company
The global marketplace is as dynamic and volatile as ever. Get a bigger vantage point on the commodity and financial markets around the world to help prepare for changes and guide your risk management strategy.
What Your Ultimate Customer Wants
Frank Vitale, Dale Zimmerman & Victoria Philips
Cattlemen know what’s best for the livestock, but consumer expectations aren’t always as clear. Explore beef demand and shopping trends with leading retail and foodservice partners. Get a glimpse into the opposite end of the supply chain to make more informed decisions at the ranch and feedyard.
Packer Perspective
Nikki Richardson & Steve Williams
The packer plays a critical role linking the cattle producer and beef consumer. Hear from JBS USA and the upcoming changes they anticipate in an evolving marketplace. Learn about how procurement methods are affected by cattle cycle trends and new technology that may advance beef value determination and efficiency.
Where Science is Taking Us
Keith Belk, Ph.D.
University research shapes what the cattle industry knows and understands about many production practices. Through intense social dynamics, Colorado State University continues to pave the way in hot topics like animal welfare and meat science. Gain a better understanding of how the university’s position advances all sectors of the beef business.
What To Do About Evolving Demands
Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Ph.D.
Expectations throughout the beef supply chain continue to evolve. Hear about the shifting landscape of sustainability metrics from an industry expert and understand how they impact cattlemen. Learn more about what industry leaders are doing to address challenges and what this means for the future of the beef business.
Precision Livestock: Technology that Creates Solutions
Justin Sexten, Ph.D.
No two pens of cattle are the same and there’s much variety within each pen, so why don’t we adjust management accordingly? Take a closer look at the tools that are available today and the advancements that will change the future of profit-driven cattle feeding. Precision livestock farming is here and it’s growing.
Beyond Marbling
Clint Walenciak & Daniel Clark, Ph.D.
Marbling still matters most when it comes to Certified Angus Beef ® brand acceptance, but hot carcass weight, either too high or too low, creates challenges. Fresh data shows that the relationship between hot carcass weights and brand acceptance has changed over time. Join the brand’s production team as they explore the balancing point.
Feeding Cattle During a Pandemic: What We Learned and What’s Next
Brad Johnson, Ph.D.
Cattle feeding norms were tested last year. Through the dramatic changes, cattle feeders sought new management strategies to enhance growth and efficiency while maintaining cost effectiveness. Are these new feeding techniques here to stay?