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The University of Minnesota and Minnesota Beef Council are collaborating on an overview study mapping the pathways Minnesota beef cattle travel from birth to finish. The survey was opened last fall and the deadline has been extended to March 31.

“We really need Minnesota beef producer responses to help us guide our research in the direction that best fits the Minnesota beef industry, and we really appreciate any producer willing to give us a few minutes of their time to complete the survey,” said Dr. Joe Armstrong, DVM, Cattle Production Systems and Extension Educator, University of Minnesota.

The survey is the first step in a larger effort involving a collaboration between the UMN College of Veterinary Medicine, MN Beef Council and UMN Extension. The research team is being led by Dr. Noelle Noyes with help from Dr. Tim Goldsmith, Dr. Luciano Caixeta, Armstrong, Melissa Runck, and two veterinary students – Sabina Ponicki and Kaylan Risacher.

The study will provide a foundational overview by documenting and describing the farm-to-feedlot pathways currently being utilized by Minnesota beef producers.

“Our team needs producer knowledge and experience pertaining to management practices and the movement of cattle. We want to gather knowledge from Minnesota producers so we can better serve them by tailoring research specific to Minnesota needs,” Armstrong said.

The survey is available online and should take producers approximately 5-10 minutes to finish. Survey results and responses are completely voluntary and confidential.

The survey is available at z.umn.edu/beefpathways and will remain open until March 31.

Participants will have the option to be entered into a raffle using an email address that will give away a Pierce VAXmate cooler.