Dairy Producers Are Beef Producers Too!

Dairy cattle produce milk. Beef cattle produce beef. Yes, you are probably thinking that this is common sense, but is it? Most people only view dairy cattle as producing milk and beef cattle only beef. Dairy cattle are more than just milk. Dairy cattle play an important role in the beef industry. 

In fact, according to the Beef Checkoff, dairy beef accounts for 20 percent of the total beef supply in the United States. Even though beef makes up only 6-8 percent of a dairy farm’s income, it is still an important part of the farm.  Dairy producers produce beef when they sell their calves for the market or cull their cows on the farm.   The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has counted approximately six million dairy calves that enter the beef industry as well as three million dairy cows and three million Holstein steers processed yearly.  

So what does all of this mean for the producer? Well for the dairy producer, this means shared responsibility with beef producers with regards to quality assurance. It means changing habits, practices, and management so that beef quality and cattle stewardship is improved. For the beef producer, this means working together with the dairy producer to make sure they are providing a quality product for the market. Proper management in both beef and dairy herds are needed to improve consumer confidence in the beef industry. 

Proper management consists of implementing practices that focus on both beef quality and stewardship. Practices to consider could be minimizing injuries due to rushing and slipping, decrease aggressive driving of cattle, administering injections correctly according to Beef Quality Assurance principles, culling cattle before they are thin or lame, preventing bruises and injection-site lesions and always having accurate records to verify proper practices. These practices should be implemented in both beef and dairy farms. 

Consumer confidence is key in the beef industry. The reality is that dairy and beef producers ultimately have to please their customer, the consumer. This can be accomplished by ensuring the safety of the beef products. Dairy producers are constantly concerned with producing a safe high quality milk product. Let that be the example for the beef industry. We should be treating beef cattle how the dairy producers treat their milk products. 

The Beef Checkoff has funded research that has shown dairy beef’s contribution to the beef industry. The industry has valued the dairy contribution so much that many new value added products have been created using dairy beef animals, such as the Flat Iron Steak.  In fact, 44 percent comes from dairy beef providing steaks, roasts, filets, and strips. 

By this point in the year, you should already know that it is Beef Month.  A month filled with promotions and celebrations for the beef industry in Pennsylvania. Common sense tells us that beef cattle produce beef, but we also need to keep in mind that dairy cattle produce milk and beef. So this month also should celebrate the dairy producers for they are a part of the beef industry as well. May beef month, certainly transitions nicely to June dairy month, because dairy cattle are beef cattle too!

Celebrate the Beef Industry

May marks the celebration of Pennsylvania’s beef industry. What better way to celebrate then by promoting Pennsylvania’s 1.8 billion dollars industry. Beef month is a great way to honor the 12,000 Pennsylvania beef producers that are generating a high quality and nutritious product.

Too many times we hear about the negative side of the beef industry. What about all the positive aspects? American families expect to enjoy a high quality beef product. Programs like the Beef Quality Assurance program helps to ensure consumers that there is an increased emphasis on proper cattle care and handling and using low- stress management.

Producers should be advocates by sharing accurate relevant stories about their practices. It is critical that we promote the safety of beef products. Farmers know how they raise their animals, but do customers know or care? I believe customers do want to know where and how their products are being raised. Producers need to educate how they raise cattle under humane conditions. In the last few days of May, cattle producers should be congratulating themselves for being good producers of beef and by promoting proper care of their animals.

Vista Grande Farm, Wins National Beef Quality Assurance Award

Winners of the award have a desire to continually improve Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) on their operations while successfully encouraging others around them to implement BQA. A desire evident this week as two producers were honored with the annual national Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) award, created to recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers from across the country that incorporate BQA principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their operations. The winners were selected based on their commitment to beef quality assurance while operating sustainable cattle operations. The dairy farm winner was, Phoebe Bitler, Vista Grande Farm from Fleetwood, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Vista Grande Farm

Vista Grande Farm was founded in 1937 by Phoebe’s parents. Phoebe grew up on the registered Holstein farm, and her 4-H project cows paid for her college degree and also helped to build the foundation for the dairy herd that she and her husband, Dave, began in 1977. On Jan. 1, 2010, they began a partnership with their son, Jesse, operating as Vista Grande Farms, LLC and Vista Grande Cattle Co., LLC.

The dairy farm currently consists of 100 milking registered Holstein cows; 23 owned by the Bitlers, and the balance owned by two young men developing their individual herds, they have placed 30 more milking Holsteins in other young farmers herds, have a dairy replacement business with 150 females, and farm 600 acres, producing feed crops for the livestock. In addition, the family also performs a variety of custom farming operations, facilitates farm-to-farm dairy cattle sales, and Phoebe conducts educational agriculture tours that showcase what family farms have done to remain viable in the industry.

Vista Grande Farm is located in a densely populated county in southeastern Pennsylvania and one of their ‘next door’ neighbors is an industry that employs 5,000 persons. The road that travels between the farm buildings is heavily traveled. This creates challenges for cattle and equipment movement, but also provides the opportunity to showcase a tidy farmstead, along with clean and well cared for animals to the consuming public.

Phoebe and her family have hosted many “Ag in the Classroom” type events for schools, scouts, seniors and farm-city tours. They have also hosted “Breakfast on the Farm” for the Berks County Chamber of Commerce Executive Board. These types of events provide opportunities to share the truth about modern animal production, dispelling popular animal rights myths. Vista Grande Farm coexists with their community by offering a transparent view of their dairy practices.

Phoebe believes firmly that they and their cattle are a team; they work in partnership. They also manage their dairy for increased returns on market cows at harvest by reconditioning prior to selling as ‘white cows.’ Currently they are researching the costs and benefits of selling custom bulk freezer packs utilizing BQA labels and the farm logo to accommodate the changing consumer needs and wants. She also provides extensive training to hired labor. She is very deserving of this award.

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