Master Cattle Producers Put Quality Beef on the Table

Participants in the Master Cattle Producers classes are required to take instruction in the Beef Quality Assurance program, which is taught by members of the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association. (Photo by Bruce Schultz)

The ultimate goal of the Master Cattle Producers program is quality beef, which will make cattle production in Louisiana more profitable. (Photo by Bruce Schulz)

Rescuing cattle after Hurricane Rita. (Photo by Bruce Schultz)

The aim of the LSU AgCenter’s Master Cattle Producers program is to put quality beef on the table, not just hundredweight on the hoof. The program, a spinoff to the LSU AgCenter’s Master Farmer Program, is designed to help producers improve the efficiency and management of their cattle operations – and make more money.

The Master Cattle program started in July 2004 with 75 students in Lafayette Parish. To date, more than 350 cattle producers – both men and women – have completed the program, according to Jason Rowntree, LSU AgCenter beef specialist and program coordinator.

The curriculum involves participation in 10 lectures as part of the Master Cattle Producers program, two four-hour lectures that are the first phase of the Master Farmer Program plus attending a three-hour session on Beef Quality Assurance, which is conducted by the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association. 

Rowntree said the program stresses that cattle producers should think beyond the sale barn. “The program is aimed at making cattle producers aware that they are not a cattle producer, but a beef producer. Our job does not end when that calf is sold.They have to employ management and production skills that produce efficient, consumer-oriented beef in an environmentally friendly manner.”

Former LCA President Charles Litteral said the LCA initiated the program to keep producers updated on the best methods.

“Things change so fast in the livestock industry,” he said. “We want to teach the most practical and safest methods. It’s our charge and responsibility to keep our cattle producers informed.”

Rowntree said individuals who want to enroll in the program should contact the county agents in their parishes. Total cost is $100, and a meal is included at each session.

“I have received many wonderful comments about the program and the county agents who host the courses,” said Stan Dutile, LSU AgCenter county agent in Lafayette Parish. “This was the most outstanding program I’ve been involved with in terms of adult education.”

Cattle production has become more complicated in the past few years because it is driven more by consumers who demand better quality, Rowntree said. Standards for beef have been raised by quality audits, he said, and that requires producers to raise their standards as well.

An important requirement for Master Cattle Producers is to be certified through the LCA’s Beef Quality Assurance program, which educates producers on proper vaccination administration and other issues that influence the beef that consumers buy at the grocery store.

Darla Lanie of Erath admits she was out of her element when she first began working with cattle, and she said the Master Cattle program helped her fill many gaps in her knowledge of raising Brangus cattle with her husband, sugarcane farmer, Al Lanie. She said the coursework is applicable for even the most experienced cattle owner.

“Anybody with cattle should go through this program,” Lanie said.

Lewis Dooley, a retired mechanical engineer from the Church Point area, is a Master Cattle graduate. He has 25 Brahmas but doesn’t expect to make a lot of money from them.

“I just enjoy working with them, studying the genetics and converting grass to meat.”

Dooley exports embryos overseas to such countries as Colombia and Brazil. He also sells bulls to be used on commercial cows. Even with his knowledge and experience, Dooley said the Master Cattle program helped him.

“I got a lot of good ideas, especially on foraging,” he said.

Another graduate, Joe Hidalgo of Opelousas, has decades of experience in animal husbandry from his career as a veterinary supply salesman and from his years of owning Brangus cattle. A district vice president for the Louisiana Cattleman’s Association, Hidalgo said he completed the Master Cattle program to set an example for the rest of the LCA membership.

“This sets Louisiana way ahead of other states,” Hidalgo said.

Ronnie Link of Avoyelles Parish and his two sons, Dwane and Kyle, attended the Master Cattle program, even though it meant an hour’s drive to Lafayette after working cattle all day at home.

“It was the most informative training I’ve ever been to,” Link said.

Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor for extension, said the program will enhance the quality of beef produced in Louisiana as well as achieve environmental quality improvements on ranch operations statewide.

“The success of the Master Cattle Producer Program has been phenomenal, with high enrollment statewide and excellent participant evaluations,” Coreil said. “There is no doubt that Louisiana is well on its way to leading the nation in producing quality beef for the consumer using production practices that help conserve our natural resources."

Rowntree said currently he is offering make-up classes and updating the lectures. He expects to begin offering the series of classes again sometime in the spring of 2007.

Impact:

• Since its start in 2004, more than 350 people have completed the Master Cattle Producer program. Another 200 have participated and will complete the program.
• The total value of the sales from Louisiana beef cattle in 2005 was $406.4 million, according to the LSU AgCenter's Ag Summary.
• Louisiana cattle producers have more than 1 million acres in pasture and hay production.
• Most Louisiana beef producers use the cow-calf system of management in which they maintain breeding herds and produce calves marketed as weaning or shortly thereafter. The systems are forage-based so pasture management is extremely important.
• Louisiana’s herd is estimated in excess of 600,000 head raised by more than 12,000 producers. However, those numbers are rough estimates because of damage to the industry by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Update on Cameron Parish
Gary Wicke, county agent in Cameron Parish, said not too much has changed for the cattle industry in that parish since the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. Maybe 10 percent of the cattle that occupied the lower part of the parish, which is next to the coast, have been relocated back there, he estimated. Not much fencing has been repaired. There is a lack of fresh drinking water for the cattle. Because of drought conditions, little grass is growing back on the pastures. On top of this, the mosquitoes have returned. In fact, cattle survivors are still being found because mosquitoes are driving them out of the marshes, Wicke said. LSU AgCenter personnel are helping residents with the recovery effort. Some relief funds are just now being made available. “We’ll have a better handle on just how severe the losses were as people provide evidence,” Wicke said. Early estimates were that about 8,000 head of cattle in that parish alone were lost.

The LSU AgCenter is one of 11 institutions of higher education in the Louisiana State University System and carries out the land-grant mission of research and extension. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, it provides educational services in every parish and conducts research that contributes to the economic development of the state. The LSU AgCenter does not grant degrees nor benefit from tuition increases. The LSU AgCenter plays an integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing rural areas and the environment, and improving the quality of life through its family and 4-H youth programs.

(This page was updated June 1, 2006, by Linda Benedict.)