Animal Welfare
Great Cattle Come From Great Care
Animal Care Is Our Obligation
Treating cattle well isn’t just an ethical imperative; it’s key to our success as a business. Each day, we implement animal welfare measures at every step in the process to keep cattle healthy and comfortable while entrusted to our care.
Our low-stress animal handling program includes employee training, monitoring, and third-party auditing so that cattle are treated with the respect they deserve. We audit our animal welfare often because great beef comes from great treatment.
Employee Training
Animal care starts with our dedicated employees, who are proud of their essential role in delivering high-quality beef. Each year, they are trained in low-stress animal handling techniques. Our Animal handlers team has only one job. Animal wellness.
Internal Monitoring and Third-Party Audits
Along with ongoing visual monitoring, the USA Beef Packing Quality Assurance Department conducts random weekly audits of all animal-related processes. These audits are done in accordance with the North American Meat Institute’s (NAMI) Animal Welfare Guidelines.
Third-party audits of our handling practices and procedures are also performed by industry experts like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Teams observe 100 animals per audit, monitoring for vocalizations, falls, and irregular behaviors during the animal handling process. Facilities, equipment, and unloading practices are also examined. The Food Safety and Inspection Service has constant access to all aspects of animal handling and receiving areas during daily operation of our federally inspected processing facilities.