Beef and Dairy Cattle nutrition

Question 1

How many months in the year do dairy cows lactate

Answer 1

10 months

Question 2

What are some dietary problems for dairy cows?

Answer 2

acidosis, ketosis, and hypocalcemia

Question 3

Bull definition

Answer 3

an uncastrated male bovine animal

Question 4

calf definition

Answer 4

a young bovine animal, especially a domestic cow or bull in its first year

Question 5

cow definition

Answer 5

a fully grown female animal of a domesticated breed of ox, kept to produce milk or beef

Question 6

dry definition

Answer 6

a stage of their lactation cycle where milk production ceases prior to calving

Question 7

heifer definition

Answer 7

a young female cow that has not borne a calf.

Question 8

steer Definition

Answer 8

young neutered male cattle primarily raised for beef

Question 9

Acidosis definition

Answer 9

A condition caused by low levels of forage in the animal’s diet. Large amount of RAC (readily available carbohydrates) stimulate bacteria that produce lactic acid, and bacteria that use lactic acid cannot keep up with it.

Question 10

Ad libitum definition

Answer 10

Allowing animals to have access to as much feed as is desired or necessary as often as possible, also known as “free choice”

Question 11

Angus definition

Answer 11

A breed of beef cattle originally from Scotland that is solid black or red and naturally polled (hornless)

Question 12

Backgrounding definition

Answer 12

An intermediate stage that begins after weaning and ends when the calf is placed in a feedlot or is sold at auction. This feeding relies on a forage (grass and/or hay) and grain combination to increase the calf’s body weight and health status before they are sent to a feedlot.

Question 13

What does BST stand for?

Answer 13

Bovine Somatotropin

Question 14

What is BST OR Bovine Somatotropin

Answer 14

A protein (growth) hormone naturally produced by the pituitary glands of cattle. It can be manufactured in the lab using recombinant DNA and injected into cattle to supplement the required nutrients (or increase milk production). The manufactured BST is typically referred to as rBST or by the trade name Posilac.

Question 15

Creep feed definition

Answer 15

A feed provided to calves which provides extra nutrients to promote faster growth

Question 16

Dam Definition

Answer 16

Female parent of a calf

Question 17

DIP def.

Answer 17

Rumen degradable intake protein. DIP helps keep the microbes alive in the rumen which assist in digestion

Question 18

Dry period def.

Answer 18

The period during which a dairy cow does not produce milk. This usually lasts for 2 months before calving.

Question 19

Feedlot def.

Answer 19

A feedlot farm feeds either cattle brought in from stocker operations or calves that are newly weaned. These cattle are fed to their selling weight. Usually, this feeding involves high energy feedstuffs that promote growth and weight gain. This is typically a beef cattle term.

Question 20

Hereford def.

Answer 20

A breed of beef cattle originally from Britain characterized by red and white coats, they are often quite docile and produce good quality beef

Question 21

Holstein def.

Answer 21

A breed of dairy cattle with the highest milk production, very recognizable by their distinctive black and white coat coloring

Question 22

Hypocalcemia (Milk fever) def.

Answer 22

A condition of low calcium in a cow’s bloodstream occurring between the lactation and the dry periods

Question 23

Jersey def.

Answer 23

A breed of dairy cattle typically light brown in color and known for their high milk fat content

Question 24

Ketosis def.

Answer 24

A condition caused by reduction of grain (starch) in a dairy cow’s diet in which the animal does not produce enough glucose in her liver. Ketosis decreases milk production, and can cause rapid weight loss and eventually death

Question 25

Lactation def.

Answer 25

For this chapter, lactation refers to the production of milk in a dairy cow. This usually lasts for 10 months per year in dairy cattle. However, lactation demands for any species are considerable and must be taken into consideration when planning animal diets.

Question 26

Marble def.

Answer 26

Intramuscular fat in meat; a supplement can be fed to beef cattle to increase their intramuscular fat. Marbling is said to improve the palatability of the meat.

Question 27

Selenium def.

Answer 27

A trace mineral which helps prevent metritis caused by retained placentas

Question 28

Sire def.

Answer 28

The male parent of a calf

Question 29

Stocker def.

Answer 29

A stocker operation feeds the weaned calf to increase its weigh before selling it to a feedlot (typically a beef cattle term)

Question 30

Sucrase def.

Answer 30

Enzyme secreted to help in the digestion of sucrose in the starch

Question 31

UIP def.

Answer 31

Rumen undegradable intake protein; protein used by the cow itself.

Question 32

Weaning def.

Answer 32

The process of “taking off” a calf from the replacer milk and feeding it solid food

Question 33

What Happens if the cow gives birth in the spring

Answer 33

higher nutritional requirements in late spring, early summer, when she lactates. The availability of grass at that time will provide for her requirements

Question 34

What happens if the cow gives birth in the fall

Answer 34

she will have higher nutritional requirements in winter. Due to the unavailability (or less availability) of grass at that time, supplemental feed will have to be provided to her, which is high in energy and protein

Question 35

How does the fetal weight change during gestation?

Answer 35

The longer the gestation the more the fetal weighs

Question 36

What does the beef cattle body conditioning score (BCS) in the US ranges?

Answer 36

1 to 9

Question 37

What does the Body Conditioning Score for dairy cows in the US ranges?

Answer 37

1 to 5

Question 38

What does the dogs in the US ranges?

Answer 38

1-9

Question 39

What does the cats in the US ranges?

Answer 39

1-9

Question 40

What does the horses in the US ranges?

Answer 40

normally 1-5 but there is a 1-9 scale sometimes used

Question 41

Why are heifer calf fed by hand?

Answer 41

since it is taken away from its mother cow immediately after birth

Question 42

Why are heifer calf given replacer milk?

Answer 42

cows milk is reserved for human consumption

Question 43

Why does a heifer have very high nutritional requirements

Answer 43

As it needs to to grow from calf to being able to breed in a short amount of time.

Question 44

When are bull calves sent to market?

Answer 44

shortly after birth

Question 45

Heifer calves are fed in what

Answer 45

individual hutches

Question 46

What protein can a calf digest

Answer 46

casein not plant protein

Question 47

what enzyme does a calf not produce and when can they start to produce this enzyme

Answer 47

sucrase and up to 6 weeks

Question 48

what is fed to young calves to start them on solid foods

Answer 48

prestarter feed

Question 49

what is pre-starter feed mixed with?

Answer 49

with milk and milk products. The pre-starter should be highly digestab;e and palatable

Question 50

What does creep feeding help with

Answer 50

with providing the calves with extra nutrients to promote faster growth

Question 51

When is a heifer calf bred

Answer 51

14.5 months so birth is given at 2 yrs

Question 52

how big should a heifer be before breeding

Answer 52

at least 60% of her mature size

Question 53

what are stocker cattle?

Answer 53

weaned calves that are fed to increase their weight and are then sold to the beef cattle feedlot

Question 54

what are stocker cattle fed on

Answer 54

dry lot or pasture. Drylot is more common as its cheaper

Question 55

When choosing stocker cattle, what type of cattle are normally chosen?

Answer 55

thin healthy calves as they put on weight more than fat calves do on a cheaper diet

Question 56

why should stocker cattle not be fed too much starch or too much fat

Answer 56

lowers their fiber digestibility

Question 57

What should be considered when planing to feed byproducts to cattle

Answer 57

digestibility price relative to other feeds storage life needs for special feeders or equipment potiential anti-nutritional or toxin content

Question 58

when are feedlot cattle brought

Answer 58

stocker operations or as newly weaned calves

Question 59

When market weight is reached how is cattle's diet formulated

Answer 59

according to their frame size. Large-framed cattle are fed a higher-weight feed, while small-framed cattle are fed a lighter-weight feed

Question 60

average NC dairy cow in 2021 produced how any gallons of milk per day?

Answer 60

8 gallons