Animal Well Being
Today, more than ever before, the cattle industry has come to recognize the 
importance of humane animal handling practices. Since its beginning, BNW has recognized that well-managed and comfortable cattle are also productive, efficient cattle that produce high-quality products for consumers. Our animal-well being efforts focus on two key fronts -- animal handling and animal health.
Animal Handling
Members of Beef Northwest have worked extensively with leading animal behaviorists, to train employees on low-stress cattle handling practices. We've also developed facilities inspired by the designs of world renowned animal behaviorist and author Temple Grandin that ensure cattle are handled comfortably, easily and with minimal stress.
One of the key factors contributing to animal health and welfare is the ability to keep the animal relaxed and minimize stress. Beef Northwest takes a Holistic approach to animal health and well being. Vaccine efficacy, feed consumption/appetite, minimizing treatment, and the general health of the animal are all related to the level of stress that the animal is feeling. People can be trained in stockmanship and management techniques that eliminate stress during and, in fact, make handling episodes positive to performance, quality, and animal welfare.
Beef Northwest employees have been trained by recognized industry Animal Behaviorists like Bud Williams, Dr. Tom Noffsinger and others to be able to identify cattle that are not at ease and comfortable.
The staff at Beef Northwest is trained to recognize cattle that have not "settled in" and to act accordingly. Whether that means making sure every animal in the pen gets to the feed bunk and the water trough, or maybe he or she takes the cattle "for a walk" and moves them to another pen where the animals feel more comfortable. The way cattle are settled on arrival works to benefit the cattle and people all through their stay at Beef Northwest whether its moving an animal, sorting, or loading and hauling to harvest, cattle that are handled properly from the beginning handle well through their stay at Beef Northwest and feel less stress.
Our experience in dealing with Oregon Country Natural Beef cattle, approximately 50,000 per year, that receive no antibiotics has raised our level of husbandry and stockmanship company wide so that we are able to keep cattle comfortable and performing with minimal treatment.
Animal Health
Dr. Galen Weaver from Amarillo, Texas, directs our health program. Communication starts from the beginning between the rancher and the feedyard to fully coordinate the best vaccine and treatment program for each lot of cattle. Computers in the hospitals allow immediate entry of treatments and observations giving management and the customer instant access to each animal's medical record. Experienced doctoring and cowboy crews keep annual mortality rate well under 0.5 percent.
All these factors help produce a high-quality beef and a cost of gain competitive with feeders anywhere in the country.
Animal husbandry is at the heart of what we do. We recognize that well-managed cattle are the key to our success and to the success of our customers, and animal well being is something we take very seriously. Cattle that are comfortable produce beef more efficiently, and they produce higher quality and healthier beef for consumers.