United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture 

Veterinary Services 

Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health July 2012 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Quality Assurance in U.S. 

Feedlots,1

 2011 

The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is a State 

and national industry-led effort that provides guidelines 

to support the production of quality beef. The goal of the 

program is to raise consumer confidence in beef quality 

through recommended management techniques and a 

commitment to quality within segments of the beef 

industry, including feedlots. Guidelines included in a 

BQA program focus on issues that include feedstuffs, 

feed additives and medications, processing and 

treatment records, injectable animal health products, 

care and husbandry practices, and guidelines for the 

general care and handling of cattle. Participating in the 

BQA program can help ensure that quality beef reaches 

consumers through safe handling, feeding, and care of 

cattle. Improvements in cattle care and health will 

undoubtedly increase the quality of beef for consumers. 

In addition, the BQA program helps to improve food 

safety and support animal welfare and well-being, major 

concerns of consumers. The use of the BQA program 

can positively impact all that are involved, including 

cattle, feedlot operators, and consumers. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National 

Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducted 

the Feedlot 2011 study, an in-depth look at large 

feedlots (1,000 head or more capacity) in 12 States2

 

and small feedlots (fewer than 1,000 head capacity) in 

13 States.3

Large feedlots accounted for 82.1 percent of the 

January 1, 2011, inventory of feedlot cattle in all U.S. 

feedlots but only 2.8 percent of all feedlots. The 12 

participating States accounted for over 95 percent of the 

inventory of cattle in large feedlots (NASS, “Cattle on 

Feed” February 18, 2011). Small feedlots accounted for 

16.0 percent of the inventory on all U.S. feedlots and 

92.9 percent of all U.S. farms with cattle on feed. The 13 

participating States accounted for 85.4 percent of U.S. 

farms with fewer than 500 cattle on feed and 90.5 

percent of the inventory on farms with fewer than 500 

cattle on feed (NASS, 2007 Census of Agriculture). 

Study results presented in this information sheet reflect 

only large feedlots,4

 which were divided into two groups: 

 

1

 For feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more.

2

 Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Washington. 

3

 Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, 

Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin.

4

 Information on small feedltos is available at: 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/feedlot/index.shtml 

those with a capacity of 1,000 to 7,999 head and those 

with a capacity of 8,000 or more head. 

 

Familiarity with the BQA program 

An objective of the Feedlot 2011 study was to 

describe feedlot operators’ familiarity with the BQA 

program and to describe management practices that 

may impact beef quality. Widespread awareness of the 

BQA program has been a goal of the beef industry for 

several years. Operators on 52.4 percent of feedlots with 

a capacity of 1,000 to 7,999 head were very familiar with 

BQA program, compared with operators on 69.4 percent 

of feedlots with a capacity of 8,000 or more head 

(figure 1). Overall, only 4.6 percent of feedlots with a 

capacity of 1,000 to 7,999 head and 0.3 percent of 

feedlots with a capacity of 8,000 or more head had 

operators who were not familiar with the BQA program. 

0

20

40

60

80

8,000 or more

1,000-7,999

Feedlot capacity

(number head)

Percent

Level of familiarity

Not familiar Heard of

name only

Somewhat Very

Figure 1. Percentage of feedlots by operator’s level 

of familiarity with the BQA program, and by

feedlot capacity

4.6

0.3 3.5 1.1

39.5

29.2

52.4

69.4
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture 

Importance of BQA practices 

Operators on over 9 of 10 feedlots, regardless of 

capacity, indicated that each BQA practice listed was 

somewhat or very important (table 1). Clearly, there was 

widespread agreement on the importance of BQA 

practices. 

Table 1. Percentage of feedlots in which the operator 

indicated that the following BQA practices were 

somewhat or very important, by operation capacity 

 Percent Feedlots 

Feedlot capacity 

(number head) 

Practice 1,000–7,999 8,000 or more

Location used for 

administration of 

injectable products 

(e.g., in neck, shoulder, 

side, or leg) 

99.0 99.6 

Route used for administration of injectable 

products (intramuscular, 

intravenous, 

subcutaneous) 

99.1 99.6 

Implanting strategy 93.1 98.1 

Antibiotic selection to 

manage disease (e.g., 

type of FDA-approved 

antibiotic used or 

duration of action) 

98.3 99.6 

Residue avoidance 99.1 95.2 

Training for BQA practices 

Seven of 10 feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 to 

7,999 head (70.1 percent) had formal training programs 

for employees on one or more of the listed BQA 

practices, compared with nearly all feedlots with a 

capacity of 8,000 or more head (96.1 percent) [figure 2]. 

This difference could be due to the smaller number of 

employees on the lower-capacity feedlots, leading the 

operators and owners to assume that a formal BQA 

training program is unnecessary. 

0

20

40

60

80

100

8,000 or more

1,000-7,999

Feedlot capacity

(number head)

Percent

Training topic

Quality

assurance

Residue

avoidance

Animal

handling

procedures

Employee

safety

Figure 2. Percentage of feedlots with a formal 

BQA training program for employees, by feedlot 

capacity and by training topic

56.6

86.4

60.2

91.5

65.9

92.6

70.1

96.1

64.0

93.9

Any

Summary 

These data suggest that feedlot operators, 

regardless of feedlot capacity, are aware of BQA 

programs and believe that the programs are an 

important aspect of running an operation. Continuing 

outreach through training programs, seminars, and other 

methods is important to maintain and advance support 

for the BQA program. 

_____________________________ 

For more information, contact: 

USDA–APHIS–VS–CEAH 

NRRC Building B, M.S. 2E7 

2150 Centre Avenue 

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117 

970.494.7000 

http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov

#651.0612 

___________________________________ 

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