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The Integrity Beef Alliance simplifies cow-calf producer management decisions and increases the marketability of calves through the production of high quality, uniform, preconditioned cattle.
The Integrity Beef Alliance is a comprehensive beef production system that produces the highest quality calves possible for the next supply chain owner and consumer while improving returns for ranchers through value-added traits and remaining sustainable.
Integrity Beef emphasizes progressive, sustainable management methods, ranch stewardship and humane care of all livestock. Integrity Beef includes a terminal production system that uses a value-added calf preconditioning program. Through uniform and elevated standard management practices, Integrity Beef producers’ cattle far surpass industry standards for performance, quality, health and behavior.
Large and small ranches benefit equally from participating in Integrity Beef through implementation of best management practices and increased marketing venues, replacement cattle and ranch supply procurement support.
Additionally, all members benefit from being able to benchmark their respective ranches against others within the program on the reported production and economic variables and metrics of each ranch. Key production indicators will be calculated for each ranch and reported back to them. Agricultural economists will aggregate individual data and report back to the Alliance membership average, high and low values for each metric recorded. This allows individual members the opportunity to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan of action. Individual information is held in strict confidence.
Established in 2000 by the Noble Research Institute, Integrity Beef is the culmination of the best management practices developed by Noble’s agricultural consultants and recommended to producers who participate in Noble’s no-cost consultation program.
Noble Research Institute agricultural consultants formed a panel from the original Integrity Beef members to help provide direction. This panel has evolved into a board of directors, who now serve as the decision-makers. The program is also now more widely available to those who meet certain standards and receive membership approval by the board.
Membership is not geographically limited to any area of the country.
Ensuring the program’s integrity, which remains focused on quality not quantity, has remained a paramount responsibility for the board. Therefore, certain requirements are met by all Integrity Beef members, including specific calf, cow and bull criteria; reporting of information; and the Integrity Beef herd health program.
In order to source quality replacements the Alliance has developed a replacement heifer program that meets and many times, exceeds the requirements for the Terminal and Legacy programs. Agricultural economists review a variety of market sources and conduct a critical market assessment to help advise members on where and when to best sell cattle. Some of the numerous options include an Integrity-Beef-sanctioned value-added calf sale, direct marketing off the ranch to stocker operations, feedlots or niche markets, and marketing through the Superior Livestock Auction Genetic Merit Program.
Participation in the value-added calf sale is not a requirement of the program; rather, it’s an additional marketing avenue. Integrity Beef members in good standing are allowed to use the Integrity Beef name and logo when marketing their cattle at any time throughout the year.
The Integrity Beef value-added calf sale takes place each December. In addition to providing marketing notifications to potential buyers, Alliance board members and general members work with the livestock market in advance and are present on sale day to represent and answer questions about the cattle.
The results of the value-added calf sale underscore the value of the program. Historically, Integrity Beef calves average 14 percent higher sale values than commodity cattle and 5 percent higher sale values than other value-added cattle sold in the same weight class at the same sale.
Additional marketing outlets and times are constantly evaluated by the Integrity Beef Alliance Board of Directors.
