Cow-calf producers often complain that all their work in animal identification helps everyone else in the marketing chain, but not them. Designers say that is about to change.
The Beef InfoXchange System (BIXS), a project initiated by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, is in the midst of the first phase of its launch with cow-calf producers after spending two years in research and development.
BIXS.is not about traceability, and it is not mandatory. BIXS is not for government records and it is not for the public. It is an industry-led, voluntary system for producers, feeders and packers to keep track of their animals and their performance.
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“BIXS is all about the flow of information and ensuring that intelligence up and down the marketplace is getting to where it belongs to improve efficiencies, profitability and decision confidence,” said Larry Thomas, national co-ordinator of the Canadian Beef Advantage and BIXS programs for the CCA.
Judy Madden of Dawson Creek, B.C. is one of the original trial users. “There was an awful lot of producer input into the makeup of the website. Larry and the developers asked for the input to begin with and absolutely everything that I suggested was taken to heart and worked in to it somewhere,” Madden said. I’m very, very pleased with how open they were to having producers actually having something to say with how this should be workable for producers.”
Producers can use the program and enter the bare minimum information of birth date or the calving start date along with the CCIA.number, which saves them from entering the same information on the CCIA.website.
“When we’re up and running, BIXS will age verify your animals for you. In other words, it’s a one-stop shop,” said Thomas.
However, the full potential of BIXS will be realized when ranchers enter additional information such as breed and colour. The hope is that if enough cow-calf producers are entering detailed information about their calves, cattle feeders will search the site to shop for the specific type of cattle they want to feed.
“My husband and I have been waiting a long time for something like this. We always knew that there were feedlots out there that were looking for specific cattle types,” said Madden. “This is a way that primary producers can take ownership of the marketing of their animals.”
Ranchers will also be able to enter their information on their castration techniques, dehorning program, weaning weights, genetic makeup, and their vaccination regimen, even down to the brand name. The program will also be able to retire tags and report tag losses and new tags for cross-referencing.
Analyzing feedlot performance
Though BIXS isn’t ready to fold in the feeding and packing sectors yet, it’s expected to be ready this fall. Once animals reach the feedlot stage of the value chain, it is hoped the information will continue to flow.
Feedlots, using the CCIA.tag number of the cattle, will enter the date of entry, the estimated or actual weight of the cattle the day they arrive and an animal health score based on a standardized chart.
“Later on, within the feedlot you can do an analysis on a penned cohort basis on animal health score, but it also enables us to do some aggregate analysis back to vaccination programs and animal health because there’s a direct relationship,” said Thomas.
This means a cow-calf producer from Saskatchewan can track the health and progress of a calf sold to a feedlot in Alberta. If they notice consistently low health scores, they can change their vaccination or health protocol at the ranch. A lternatively, watching how calves perform at the feedlot can reinforce the producer’s confidence in their current practices.
With the implementation of electronic grading, packers will be able to upload detailed carcass information into BIXS, revealing the yield percentage, carcass fat and even rib-eye measurements for each animal.
User friendly
Despite the robust programming supporting the BIXS site, Madden says it’s very intuitive now, easier to use than the CCIA.site, and even users on dial-up will be able to use it easily.
Madden says she and others with high hopes for BIXS are somewhat worried gun-shy producers will assume the program is just another time-consuming endeavour with no payoff, but hopes ranchers will take the time to consider the potential rewards of this system.
“The cow-calf producers have been footing the bill time-wise and financially right from the time that these CCIA tags have come out. The cow-calf producers have to purchase the tags, the cow-calf producers have to see that the tags are put in the calves, the cow-calf producers have to make sure that the age verification is done and the records are kept. And there has been no financial return for any of that,” Madden said. “But for this to work, and I believe it can, it all stems from the primary producer stepping up to the plate and putting their information in first.”
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“Forthistowork,and Ibelieveitcan,itall stemsfromtheprimary producersteppingup totheplateandputting theirinformationin first.”
Judy Madden producer
