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At the Beefalo Northwest Meeting in September, there was considerable discussion about Beefalo Testing. Should we conduct an independent grass-fed study of Beefalo against domestic beef? As it turns out this testing was already accomplished by the Michigan Beefalo Association.
Surprising? Not really. Over the years Beefalo has become one of the most thoroughly investigated and tested breeds of beef cattle. Yet some of this testing has just gotten lost in the shuffle between the different beefalo associations or regional chapters.
Over the years, changes in office managers, new computer programs, new recording practises, and mergers of the National Beefalo Associations (in 2009) all contributed to the assembling, re-organizing and, the loss of information in an effort to streamline breed data. Its interesting to note that we can have these losses and still maintain considerable data on the breed!
As we review the various tests done on Beefalo cattle it becomes apparent we probably need a pro-active marketing program of the already established tests. It's amusing that the Angus Certified Beef Program, established in 1978 hasn't changed, and everybody knows about Angus Certified Beef. Beefalo was endorsed and USDA certified in 1985, and that data is truly amazing.
Beefalo has more protein than conventional beef, less fat, less bad cholesterol, and rates high in Omega 3's yet this information just hasn't seemed to make a dent in Beefalo promotion.
Do we need more testing? Probably not. What's needed is a more thorough marketing program.
Surprising? Not really. Over the years Beefalo has become one of the most thoroughly investigated and tested breeds of beef cattle. Yet some of this testing has just gotten lost in the shuffle between the different beefalo associations or regional chapters.
Over the years, changes in office managers, new computer programs, new recording practises, and mergers of the National Beefalo Associations (in 2009) all contributed to the assembling, re-organizing and, the loss of information in an effort to streamline breed data. Its interesting to note that we can have these losses and still maintain considerable data on the breed!
As we review the various tests done on Beefalo cattle it becomes apparent we probably need a pro-active marketing program of the already established tests. It's amusing that the Angus Certified Beef Program, established in 1978 hasn't changed, and everybody knows about Angus Certified Beef. Beefalo was endorsed and USDA certified in 1985, and that data is truly amazing.
Beefalo has more protein than conventional beef, less fat, less bad cholesterol, and rates high in Omega 3's yet this information just hasn't seemed to make a dent in Beefalo promotion.
Do we need more testing? Probably not. What's needed is a more thorough marketing program.
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