10/01/07 Beef-dairy connection

Fact; 20 percent of the beef comes from the dairy industry. Florida dairy producer Woody Larson says the connection between dairy and beef is increasing understood by US dairymen. LARSON "As you look at the statistics a lot of beef comes from dairy animals whether its dairy steers or whether its Holstein cull cows so they're a big player. I think dairymen realize that too. They're beginning to be more thought of as beef producers." Larson says many of the issues that are important to the beef industry have been recognized by dairymen. LARSON "The methods that we administer antibiotics or vaccines or you know anything that we do to keep a cow well has an impact on that carcass but certainly it would be better to give all those injections somewhere in the neck area in front of the shoulder." Dairy cattle do have some advantages but Larson says dairy cattle don't have the fat cover that often can prevent bruising. LARSON "And so we just need to be careful as we load them on trucks or get ready to haul those cattle." The Dairy Beef Quality Assurance program is designed to help dairy producers through the beef checkoff program. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott