GETTING STARTED IN BEEF COW-CALF PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT CONSULTATION

Over the past 20 years, the focus of food animal practice has progressed from treatment of individual animals to optimizing production. By addressing the total livestock operation, beef cattle practitioners can be of greatest benefit to their clients and gain the most professional satisfaction. Although a favorable climate exists for veterinary involvement in total herd management, many practitioners are involved in production management consultation to a limited extent. The approach of this column is twofold. It discusses the two most common factors that limit practitioner involvement in production management consultation and offers an in-depth discussion of the steps that practitioners can take to overcome those factors and become involved in production management consulting.