Ginette Gottswiller
The Source
Celebrate with AngusSource as it grows.
You’ve got to love spring. Spring brings a new set of calves and holidays or events that celebrate a new beginning. Who doesn’t get excited about Easter, Mother’s Day and graduations? This year AngusSource® will be celebrating, too.
AngusSource is going to graduate from offering only USDA age and source verification to offering a total of five third-party-verification programs. The American Angus Association is excited to announce the new AngusSource lineup that will continue to help producers who wish to use value-added programs to earn the most for their feeder calves.
AngusSource will continue as a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) using the white AngusSource program-compliant tags to denote enrolled calves in its popular age-and-source program. Producers will have the option to add one or all of the following verifications to their age and source verification.
- 1) Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC)
This program requires that cattle never receive any type of added hormones for their entire life cycle, but does not include regulations on antibiotics or animal byproducts. Age-and-source enrollment though AngusSource is a requirement, as well as an on-site review/audit prior to the calves leaving the ranch of origin.
Complete the audit prior to the shipping of your calves.
Hormone growth promotants (HGP) may not be used at any time in the cattle being verified.
HGPs include melengestrol acetate (MGA), implants, Zilmax® and Optaflexx®.
If HGPs are used at the operation, documentation must be maintained, detailing purchases and which animals receive HGPs. Enrolled calves that become noncompliant must use the fallout procedure to ensure calves are not marketed as NHTC.
- 2) AS-NeverEver3 (NE3)
Animals may not receive any antibiotics — nothing in the feed, water, mineral or injected from birth to slaughter. Age and source verification plus an AngusSource program-compliant tag and an on-site review/audit are required.
Complete the audit prior to the shipping of your calves.
HGPs may not be used at any time in the cattle.
No animal byproducts can be fed. This includes products from mammals or avian species, including but not limited to animal fat, feather meal, blood meal, and meat-and-bone meal.
If HGPs, animal byproducts or antibiotics are used at the operation, documentation must be maintained detailing purchases and which animals receive HGPs. Enrolled calves that become noncompliant must use the fallout procedure to ensure calves are not marketed as AS-NE-3.
- 3) Cattle Care & Handling
This program raises consumer confidence by documenting proper management techniques and showing a commitment to quality within the beef industry. Age and source verification through AngusSource is a requirement. Your initial enrollment in Cattle Care and Handling will require an on-site review/audit.
This is an optional certification to document processes that will control all quality system records. Ranches that have handled cattle by following Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines and are BQA-certified should consider this optional verification.
- 4) Calf Management (Preventative Health)
This program improves confidence of the buyers. Participating cattle producers will document their preventative animal health ranch program prior to delivery.
This is an optional certification and will not be offered as a stand-alone program.
Check the www.angussource.com website to know when we have been approved by USDA to begin enrollments in the additional programs. Remember, you can do your age-and-source enrollment now if you plan to work calves in the coming weeks. Then you can add the additional verifications once USDA has approved AngusSource for NHTC, NE3, Cattle Care & Handling, and Calf Management.
Don’t forget the marketing document will still be used to convey to potential buyers pertinent information about your calves and when and where they will be selling to more than 800 feedyards and order buyers. AngusSource has graduated to providing producers a smorgasbord of verification options.
Editor's Note: Ginette Gottswiller is the director of commercial programs for the American Angus Association.