Beef Cattle Flashcards
parturition
calving
intact male
bull
castrated male
steer
female
cow
young male
bull calf/ bullock
young female
heifer
all young
calves
Who is the father of animal breeding (selective breeding)?
Robert Bakewell
What is the process of breed development?
- define: traits of interests
- selection: parents of next generation
- (like to like) inbreeding - evaluate: offspring (records)
breeds created from cross breeding other breeds
synthetics
What is a purebred?
defined set of characteristics that are passed from parents to offspring
What are the genetics of a purebred?
homozygous for traits of interests
How many cattle breeds are recognized?
250 breeds
How many breeds are not given names?
> 300 breeds
What are there so many breeds of cattle? (beef and dairy)
dairy: alter environment to fit animal needs
beef: match animal characteristics to meet the environment
What are the four types of beef cattle?
- European (Bos taurus)
- Continental (Bos taurus)
- Zebu (Bos indicus)
- synthetics
examples of European beef cattle
Hereford, Angus, Shorthorn
examples of continental beef cattle
Charlois, Chianina, Simmental
examples of Zebu beef cattle
Brahman
examples of synthetics beef cattle
Brangus, SImbrah, Santa Gertrudis, Beefalo
what is a problem with the beefalo?
decrease in reproduction
What are European beef cattle known for?
- meat: quality and quantity carcass
- reproduction
- maternal ability: good milk and care for offspring
- milk: some for human
- moderate size: 1,000 - 1,500 lbs.
What are continental beef cattle known for?
- meat
- maternal ability
- reproduction
- milk
- draft (large breeds)
Where do Zebu beef cattle live?
tropical and subtropical environments
What are Zebu beef cattle known for?
- Hair Coat
- increase # of hair/inch
- reflective quality
- hair lays flat - Increase in Skin and Surface Area
- increase cooling - Increase in Insect and Disease Resistance
Where is most of synthetics production located?
central US
What is infrastructure?
levels or steps in an industry or business
What are the different steps in the beef industry?
- producer
- cow-calf
- stocker
- feedlot
- packers
What is the purpose of a producer?
provide the genetic base/material for beef production system
- sell bull to cow-calf operation (1 bull = breeds 30-50 cows)
How many cows does 1 bull breed?
30-50 cows
What percent of beef cattle are AI?
< 30%
What percent of AI happens in purebred cattle?
> 99%
What is the purpose of the cow-calf operation?
to wean one calf every 365 days (12 month calving interval)
What age and weight is a calf weaned?
5-7 months (400-600 lbs.)
What percent of cattle goes to the meat production system?
all males and 60% of female
What percent of cattle goes towards replacement?
40% female
What is heterosis?
average performance of crossbred offspring are superior/higher that the average of the parental breeds in a given trait
What traits are looked at during breeding?
- weaning weight
- reproduction
- early growth
- maternal ability
- survivability
Why is it so hard to produce a weaned calf every 365 days?
because of uterine involution and lactational anestrous
What is uterine involution?
repair of reproduction tract to facilitate next pregnancy
What is lactational anestrous?
production, synthesis of milk interfere with hormone, regulate reproduction
How many days do you have to rebreed if everything is perfect?
1 day
What is a stockers purpose?
takes the weaned calves from 400-600 lbs. (5-7 months) to 800-900 lbs. (9-11 months)
1. natural growth: skeletal size (frame)
2. increase muscle mass
What do stockers feed to the weaned calves?
low energy diet
- pasture
- crop residue
What is the purpose of the feedlot?
end of the stocker phase: 800-900 lbs. (9-11 months) to 1,100-1,200 lbs. (12-14 months)
NOT TO MAKE FATTER
1. increase intramuscular fat = marbling
2. change taste of fat
3. change color of fat
What is the purpose of the packers?
slaughter and processing (disassembly plant)
What age does slaughtering happen?
12-16 months (1,100-1,200 lbs.)
How do you turn a live animal into a carcass?
remove
- internal organs
- hide
- head
- feet
What is fabrication?
processing carcass
What is boxed beef and what is the purpose?
beef in a box
1. can order specific cuts
2. shipping and transport
What are two types of grading systems for cattle carcasses?
quality grade and yield grade
What is the quality grade for a cattle carcass?
proportion of primary retail cuts of meat compound to entire carcass
Why is a younger animal for favorable for the quality grade?
because they have less connective tissue
Where is intramuscular fat located and why is it important?
located between muscle fibers and provides the flavor and tenderness
What are the two things to look at in the highest quality grades?
- young animal
- certain level of intramuscular fat
How much marbling (intramuscular fat) is in each of the types of cut?
- prime- lot of marbling
- choice- moderate marbling (restaurant)
- select- little marbling
What do the numbers in yield grade mean? (1-5)
- Most meat/carcass (less fat)
- least meat/carcass (more fat)
What is the relationship between quality grade and yield grade?
(inverse relationship)
- increase quality grade, decrease yield grade
Which cattle has the most (extreme) marbling?
Wagyu (Japanese)
how long is a beef cattle estrous cycle?
21 days
how long is a beef cattle estrous cycle?
21 days
how long is the estrus cycle of beef cattle?
12 hours
how long is the estrus cycle of beef cattle?
12 hours
how long is beef cattle gestation?
285 days
what type of breeders are beef cattle?
non-seasonal (polyestrous)
What happens on day 0 and day 365 of the beef cattle life cycle?
Breeding
What month does rebreeding usually happen in?
April, May, or June
What day does calving happen in the life cycle of beef cattle?
Day 285 (March)
What happens the first 6-8 weeks after calving?
spring work (branding, dehorning, castration, vaccinations)
What happens 5-7 months after calving?
fall work (weaning, keep 40% heifers, sell 100% males + 60% heifers)
What happens to cows 5-7 months after calving?
pregnancy check
Why is the first-calf heifer the hardest to breed?
because of stress (decreases reproduction)
causes of stress:
- growing
- parturition
- raise calf
- lactation
- uterine involution
Why breed virgin heifer a month earlier than the rest of the breeds?
easier to get pregnant (highest dystocia)
allows you to:
- watch for dystocia
- extra month for first-calf heifers to recover
What are the advantages for spring calving?
weather
nutrition (forages)
What are the disadvantages for spring calving?
decrease in value because of high supply
What are the advantages and disadvantages for fall calving?
weather and nutrition (depending on where you live)
higher value because low supply
Methods of Identification
- Ear Tags
- Neck Chains
- Tattoo
- EID (Electronic Identification Devices)
- Paint Branding
- Hot Branding
- Caustic Branding
- Freeze Branding
What are the pros and cons of ear tags?
pros: easy administration, readability (can easily be seen by person)
cons: not a permanent form of identification, can readily fall out
What are the pros and cons of neck chains?
pros: easy administration, readability
cons: not a permanent form of identification, can come off, poses a high potential risk for the animal if it becomes stuck on an object
What are the pros and cons of a tattoo?
pros: permanent identification
cons: typically in ear or upper lip, typically requires physical restraint to read, cannot be observed from a distance
What are the pros and cons of an EID?
