WSU Premium Beef

WSU Premium Beef is the product of the WSU Animal Science Department. The herd consists of Angus, Wagyu, and Hereford bred cattle. The herd is maintained in order to give scientists and students the opportunity to work with live animals. At the same time, best management practices ensure animal well-being and help the staff to achieve performance goals resulting in a premium protein product. Animals are handled in a low stress manner and are expected to perform to industry standards through sustainable use of resources. The goal of the cattle breeding decisions is to design a cow that is both suitable to the resources at hand, thriving in pastures on the Palouse and in the Snake River Breaks, meanwhile raising steers and heifers that are capable of becoming choice or prime grade quality beef. WSU undergraduate students have critical roles in caring for the beef cattle herd. The WSU cattle production cycle dovetails with mother-nature. The majority of the cattle are bred closely to the occurrence of summer solstice. Subsequently, calves are born on early spring grass the following year. Birthweights of the calves are monitored closely. Cows calve in the Snake River Breaks, being checked regularly, but rarely assisted. Calves are weighed and given a clostridial vaccine within the first 24 hours; males that are not deemed worthy to grow out as bulls are castrated at that time.