Veterinary Consulting Opportunities Utilizing the Beef PEP Approach

Veterinary/county extension agent teams of the Texas Beef Partnership in Extension Program supported by faculty members from Texas A&M University provide consultation services to six beef cow/calf study herds that subsequently improved their profitability by reducing the cost of producing a hundred-weight of calf. There were six steps to the process: 1) select a herd with a high potential to improve profits, 2) identify opportunities for changes in ranch management practices that will result in improved profitability, 3) develop a ranch management plan, 4) implement the ranch management plan, 5) monitor production and economic outcomes and 6) revise and update the herd plan. Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) of the study herds’ production levels and economic outcomes was involved in nearly every step and was the foundation of the project. The knowledge base of veterinary practitioners on beef herd health and production coupled with their ongoing contact and high rapport with producers make them the best choice for leadership of successful consultation teams for beef cow/calf operations.