Beef Quality Assurance
Producing high quality “reputation
cattle” that yield
safe, high quality beef is the goal of every cattle producer. A
Beef Quality Assurance program can help you achieve that goal – by
preventing drug residues in beef and minimizing carcass defects
such as bruises and injection site blemishes.
Careful handling
of vaccines and equipment, and proper injection
technique, are two key components of a BQA program.
Injection practices
- Make the most of your vaccine investment. Take the time to inject
in the “zone” – a triangular area of the neck
that should be used for all injections.
- Properly and safely restrain animals.
- Clean site of dirt, mud and manure
prior to vaccination.
- Keep injection sites at least 3” apart.
- Never inject in the hindquarters.
- When given a choice of SubQ (under
the skin) or IM (in the muscle), go SubQ.
- When administering SubQ injections, use the “tented” technique.
Syringes
and needles
- Use clean syringes, cleaning with
soap and water only
- Use a clean, sharp needle
- Use 18- and 16-gauge needles
- Use 1” to 1.5” needles for IM and
.5” to .75” needles
for SubQ
- Change needles every 10-15 animals
- Replace dull, bent, damaged or
contaminated needles
- Use separate syringes for each
product; mark syringes
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