Speaker 1: Kelli Anderson, NDSU Ag Communication Specialist
Speaker 2: Lisa Pederson, NDSU Extension Beef Quality Assurance Specialist

Kelli: This is Sound Ag Advice, a weekly feature presented by NDSU Extension. I'm Kelli Anderson and I'm joined today by Lisa Peterson NDSU Extension beef quality assurance specialist. Today we're going to be talking about a program called Stop the Truck. It was developed by Lisa and her colleagues at NDSU Extension. Lisa, tell us a little bit about the program.

Lisa: So. Stop the Truck is a program designed to help minimize residues coming from our livestock going into packing plants. And so, it's a program that really ends up being a stewardship program. And looking at the quality of animals that are we're getting ready to ship potentially to slaughter.

Kelli: What are some of the tenants of the program?

Lisa: So, the tenants of the program, Kelli are first and foremost, to make sure that all of our treatment withdrawal times are met. So, whether those animals have received a vaccination or an antibiotic, or even an antiparasitic, to make sure that that they have met their withdrawal times. Secondly, we need to make sure that those animals are of a sufficient body condition score. So, in terms of beef cattle, we would like them to be at the very minimum, a body condition score three, and on the dairy cattle side body condition score to third, those animals need to be able to stand and walk on all four legs. They need to show no evidence or sign of recent injury, disease, or surgery. And then the final question we really like to ask is, would you feed your family which you just loaded?

And if that answer is no, then you need to think about some alternative things to do with those animals like euthanasia or treat them and feed them to a better body condition score and make them more sound. And certainly, if they've not met their withdrawal time, just wait to ship them to slaughter.

Kelli: What are some of the reasons behind why NDSU Extension developed this program?

Lisa: So, this program is actually an offshoot of our veterinary feed directive program. So, one of the things that we know is that the animals who are not sound or show recent signs of surgery, signs of disease, or injury, are animals that typically have an issue with residues, and we have a very safe product in this country. And we have a very stringent testing program. And so, we would like to minimize the risk of having a residue going into a packing plant before those animals leave the farm or ranch.

Kelli: If a North Dakota beef producer would like more information on the Stop the Truck program, where can they go for information?

Lisa: They can learn more about the Stop the Truck program from their local county Extension agent or at our website www.ag.ndsu.edu/bqa.

Kelli: All right, great information from Lisa Peterson, our BQA Extension specialist. This has been Sound Ag Advice a weekly feature presented by NDSU Extension.