The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) is preparing to undertake its Fourth national study of the cow-calf segment of the beef industry and wants stakeholder input.

NAHMS is a program run by USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that collects information on health and management of the nation’s livestock and poultry populations. NAHMS is currently soliciting stakeholder input regarding the highest priority issues for the cow-calf segment of the beef industry to set the objectives for the next study.

Getting ready: USDA-APHIS is asking for producer and cow-calf stakeholder input on how to conduct this year's cow-calf survey, the fourth such survey by the agency.

The Beef 2017 study will begin data collection in late 2017 and continue into 2018. Producers will be randomly selected to enroll in more than 20 states. Data will be collected through personal interviews, guided by questionnaires. Individual producer data are not disclosed and are only reported in summary form.

The NAHMS Beef 2017 Study Needs Assessment Survey is web-based and was established to gather input for the study objectives. NAHMS officials are asking producers and other stakeholders for input and to share the availability of this survey with others in the beef industry.

The 10-question survey is meant to help identify and prioritize key issues that could be addressed by the upcoming 2017 study. The survey must be completed by May 6.

Reports from previous cow-calf studies and studies of other segments of the beef industry and other production systems are located on the NAHMS web site.

For more information or questions you may contact David A. Dargatz, Epidemiologist, USDA-APHIS, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, 2150 Center Ave., Building B, Fort Collins, Colo., 80526. The telephone number is (970) 494-7231.