Intermountain Beef 3910 Workshop--Collaborating with Industry in Extension Education

Introduction

Successful Extension programs must be useful and practical in order for participants to gain information that can be readily adopted. Seaman Knapp, one of Extension's most influential pioneers, stated, "What a man hears, he may doubt. What he sees, he may possibly doubt. But what he does himself, he cannot doubt (Seevers, Graham, Gamon, & Conklin 1997)."

Intermountain Beef 3910 takes participants through a number of learning exercises that increase their knowledge in beef grading, price discovery, certain aspects of production, and animal husbandry. This 2-day workshop was developed in collaboration with industry partners, including major sponsorship from the Utah Cattlemen's Association, Global Animal Management, and Utah State University Extension. Logistical support is provided by E.A. Miller Company (Swift and Company) in the form of facilities and personnel. Each workshop is limited to 20 participants, and there have been seven workshops to date. Participants also have the option of receiving one continuing education undergraduate or graduate credit.

The objectives of the workshop are to provide participants with a basic understanding of the beef grading system and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) to demonstrate how these principles relate to them and the entire beef industry.

Approach and Outcome

Day One

On day one, the participants are assigned to one of four groups and instructed on the fundamentals of the U.S. grading system and price discovery. Four slaughter steers (SS1) are evaluated by the groups to determine live price and estimate various carcass traits. Steers selected for this exercise exhibit varying degrees of finish, frame score, and breeding. At this time various production practices are demonstrated, including ultrasound technology and BQA principles such as proper injection technique, drug and vaccine care and storage, and animal handling and restraint. Following this evaluation, the SS1 steers are taken and harvested at the E.A. Miller facility.

A video is then viewed of another set of steers (SS2). The video is produced 5 days prior to the workshop and includes four finished steers of various breeding, degree of finish, and frame score. A mock auction is held for each of the four SS2 steers from the video, and each group "purchases" one SS2 steer. Calves receive bids based on visual appraisal of conformation and carcass characteristics.

Each group fabricates the carcass of the SS2 steer they purchased into wholesale, boxed beef cuts. This exercise requires considerable time, a large support team, and adequate facilities. All wholesale cuts are trimmed (one quarter inch) and weighed, as are trim, fat, and bone. Various carcass traits are determined. Wholesale carcass price is calculated, and a live value is calculated. Profit for each calf, based on the auction bids and actual wholesale value, is also calculated (Table1).

The exercise of fabricating the carcasses into wholesale cuts allows participants to gain considerable knowledge relative to the packing industry. Current prices for the live animal and wholesale cuts are used to demonstrate profitability of individual animals being processed.

Day Two

On day two, groups are taken on a tour of the harvest facilities, allowing participants to interact with packing plant personnel. Examples of various carcass types are shown and discussed, providing a more applied view of the grading system and the problems encountered in the wholesale beef industry. Information on procurement and marketing from the packer's perspective provides additional insight. During the tour, the SS1 calf carcasses are viewed. In addition, a system of electronic identification (EID) is demonstrated.

After the packing plant tour, participants review what they have learned and are provided an opportunity to discuss data from the previous afternoon's cutting tests. Lunch includes an industry representative who discusses the importance of genetic selection and evaluation to the industry. The last segment of the workshop has been devoted to an industry presentation on the utilization of best management practices relative to animal health.

Meals

All meals are provided to participants and are used to provide additional education. Lunch on day one is sponsored by the Utah Beef Council and involves a presentation and taste test on new beef products, which allows participants to learn from the consumer's perspective. Evening dinner on day one is prime rib, prepared and served by culinary arts students. The dinner speaker presents results of the NCBA Beef Quality Audits.

The lunch on day two is titled "Steaks, is one-in-four unacceptable?" Each group purchases 10 ribeye steaks from the local retail market. These steaks are then prepared by a chef and served to the workshop participants. An evaluation form comes with the meal. Industry data suggest that one in four steaks are unacceptable to the consuming public. It is our observation from the workshops to date that this trend is correct.

Evaluation

A course evaluation is provided for each participant. Example questions include how they heard about the course; were the facilities, transportation, dates and times adequate; were the meals to their satisfaction; what ideas were generated due to the workshop; and what could be improved and an evaluation of each speaker. Over 85% of the participants have rated this workshop as excellent.

Conclusions

The success of the program has been a result of collaboration and cooperation from various segments of Extension, industry, and the Utah Cattlemen's Association. We will continue to provide this workshop and use it as a means to develop partnerships and learn from each other.

Reference

Seevers, B., Graham, D., Gamon, J., & Conklin, N. (Eds.) (1997). Education through Cooperative Extension, p. 30. Delmar Publishers, Albany, NY.