Consumers who choose natural beef expect the growers
of those cattle to adhere to methods that promote the health and welfare of
humans, animals and the environment. Their standards are high, making the
opportunity to produce natural beef a great one. Fortunately, there are
scientifically proven products and best management practices that are
well-suited for attaining these standards.
There are no absolutes when it comes to natural beef production standards.
However, there are specifications for each branded beef channel and respected
third parties such as the USDA, Organic Materials Review Institute and European
Union that determine the acceptability of specific products and practices.
Producers who seek to participate in the growing natural beef industry should
first:
- Understand the standards -- investigate the
individual program requirements of the brand(s) being targeted. A list of brands
is available on the Natural Beef Brands page of this site. Natural brands
commonly prohibit the use of growth promoting implants and/or antibiotics
including ionophores.
- Consider the unique challenges -- Animal health and
growth performance can both be adversely impacted when a natural beef production
plan is implemented. Producers should be aware of these potential costs and the
natural solutions to overcome them.
- Implement science-based natural technologies --
Natural beef production can be just as progressive as it is plate-friendly.
Natural beef growers can benefit from proven technologies that enhance the
health and productivity of animals in the natural beef system. Consult your
veterinarian, nutritionist or branded beef partner to understand what practices
work best for your cattle enterprise.
Health Maintenance
Humane and profitable natural beef production starts with a sound health
maintenance strategy. In addition to preventing the direct loss of animals, the
goal should be to avoid the cost of treatment and lost productivity that comes
with sick cattle.
The fact that antibiotic use is commonly prohibited in natural beef production
poses a challenge to the health maintenance strategy. And given that around 25%
of all US cattle are treated with therapeutic antibiotics at some point in their
lives, managers must adopt best management practices that ward off disease,
particularly when cattle are made more vulnerable by stress. Researches agree
that there is a significant loss in comparative feed efficiency, daily gain and
carcass quality in animals that are treated for disease. In some cattle studies,
the loss amounted to greater than $80/head.
The emergence of
natural and organic meat and dairy products (20% annual growth rate) as a
significant production segment has created a strong need for non-antibiotic
health maintenance products. As the natural/organic meat industry grows, so too
will the value of keeping natural beef animals healthy. Cattle lose $100/head in
value each time they drop-out of a natural beef program. Use of products such as ProTernative™ Stress Formula
and the adoption of Best Management Practices
have been found to be beneficial in maintaining animal wellness.
Growth and Feed Efficiency
Cattle productivity remains an important economic driver in natural beef
production. Without the benefits of some prohibited growth promotion
technologies (implants, ionophores and some antibiotics), natural beef producers
can face production cost increases up to $80 per head. Fortunately, best
management practices and consumer-friendly technologies can be incorporated into
a management plan that helps gain back feed efficiency, rate-of-gain, and
metabolic disorders (bloat, digestive disorders, etc.) associated with high
concentrate diets can be averted. Producers are using products such as ProTernative™ Continuous Fed Formula
and are adopting Best Management Practices
to successfully achieve greater returns.
