Beef Cattle Flashcards
Calving
the act of giving birth itself
Beef Cattle by Numbers
- India has 4 million metric tons cause cows are considered, “holy”
World Beef Consumption
17.6 lbs. per year/per capita
US Beef Consumption
67 lbs. per capita
Top 5 Beef Producing States
Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, California, Oklahoma
Gestation Period of Beef Cattle
9 months or 283 days
Estrous period of beef cattle
every 17-24 days but normally 21
Estrus period of beef cattle, standing heat
12-18 hours
Goal for calving
2 years of age
What age are beef heifers bred?
15 months
Natural Mating Breeding Method
3 chucks; each are 21 days; 60% of heifers should be bred the first chunck, and they want around 60-70% of the cows/heifers to birth because they make their estimates around this percentage
Calving Percentage
Saying 60-70% of female cows should give birth in the herd, because farmers make their estimates of food around this
Artificial Insemination
putting semen in the cow
Embryo Transfer
growing a good embryo in a lab, then inserting in a cow when fertilized to grow
Ruminant
4 Stomach compartment that eats and regurgitates food
Rumen
where microorganisms break down the feed, eructate the food a few times until it gets smaller
Reticulum
few things pass through here like inedible things like metal, known as the “hardware stomach”
Omasum
“Butcher’s Bible”; after the food is broekn down in the rumen it comes here, it grabs the nutrients and puts it in the bloodstream for the cow
Abomasum
“Secretory Stomach”: anything that wasn’t broken down in the other areas breaks down here, and it absorbs water
Cattle Feed Conversion
6 lbs of feed per one lbs of cow; but it does depend on diet, stage of production, and genetics
When are beef calves weaned
7 months
Beef Cattle market weight
1,100-1,500 lbs.
Market age of beef cattle
12-22 months
Cow-Calf Stage
0-8 months where they eat mostly grass
Stocker Calf Stage
8-12 months where they eat mostly grass and hay
Feedlot Stage
12-18 months where they eat mostly grain, hay, and where they gain their fat
Sorting Reasons for Beef Cattle
it keeps likes with likes; sex (steers, heifers, bulls), weight, frame size (conversion rate), color, breed/type, and grading protentional
Estimate of quality grade for cattle
85% is choice or prime
Purebred Segment (Seedstock)
- Genetics of the cow/calf phase
- Bases off of maternal traits, carcass traits, and environment
- 50 purebred breeds in the U.S., 10 have significant impact
Cow/Calf Segment(Commercials)
-Mostly in Midwest and southern states because of grazing land
-Cross breeding to maximize calf output (hybrid vigor)
- replacements can be kept or bought every 4 years
- calves sold at weaning this is where the first sorting happens (vaccines, ear tags, deworming, and castration)
Stocker Segment (Growing and Finishing)
- Where cattleman purchase calves or are contracted by commercials cattleman
- Calves graze until they’re yearlings
- Dependent on cattle prices, grain prices, markets and environmental conditions
- Don’t eat as much because they are stressed about being in a new place
Feedlot Segment (Growing/Finishing)
- Custom feeding
- Purchased
- majority located in the Midwest
- lots of record keeping to ensure no residue is in the cattle when shipped to processing plants
Custom Feeding
contract to feed calves from weaning or yearling age to slaughter for the cattleman
Purchased Feeding
- feedlot buys the calves at weaning or yearling age and feeds the cattle to sell at the slaughter weight
- primarily feed grain, but some roughage
- typically there 100-250 days
Packer Segment (Packing)
- Where the cow is harvested finished
- Typically purchased from feed yard unless vertically integrated
- Finished at 18-22 months
- Finished at 1,200-1,600 lbs.
- Average carcass weight in 700-900 lbs.
- Process beef into sub-primal cuts
4 Major Packers
- these 4 businesses are basically a monopoly, cut out the middleman and control the prices from cattlemen to consumer, 85% of bought meat is from them
- Cargill, JBS, National Beef (Marfig), and Tyson
British Breeds of beef cattle
- Earlier maturing, fatter, and better quality grade, and better mothers
- Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn
- Most common breed in US and largest association
- Superior carcass characteristics (quality and yield)
- Easy caving and good mothering
- Certified angus beef brand
Angus
- Early maturing and easy finishing
- Dark red to yellow with a white face
- Known for longevity, good deposition and maternal
- Oldest Association
Hereford
- Developed as dual purpose (meat and milk), but now the genetic lines have separated
- Oldest beef breed
- Color (red, roan, and white)
Shorthorn
Continental Breeds
- Later maturing, leaner, heavier-muscled, and higher yielding
- Charolais, Simmental, Maine-Anjou, Limousin
- Larger framed, later maturing, finished at heavier weight
- Great grazing ability
- Can withstand high temps and the cold
- Raise heavy calves
- White or cream coloring
Charolais
- Dual purpose breed (meat and milk)
- Large body frame
- Need little assistance in calving
- Excellent weight gaining potential and good feed efficiency
Simmental
Two ways too market beef?
Quality and Yeild
Quality Market Beef
- Based on intramuscular fat = marbling = flavor
- Different beef grades
- Age and marbling
Intermuscular
within the muscle
Intramuscular
between the muscle groups
Subcutaneous
under the skin (covers the steak)
Different Beed Grades
Prime, Choice, Select, and Standard
Yield Market Beed
- Estimated retail yield of the 4 primal cuts of beef
- Based on hot carcass weight, fat thickness at 12th rib, percent of KPH fat, and ribeye area
4 Primal Cuts of Beef
Chuck, Rib, Loin, and Round
Organic
Environment for natural behaviors, organic feed, hormones/antibiotics
Grass Fed
feed forages only, access to pasture (if growing), no mature grains of grain byproducts
Breed Branded
Marketed as breed specific but can have other guideline
Certified/Verified
outside auditing
Locally Grown
transported less than 400 miles from producer
Kosher
kill/processing technique that has no porl
Dry-Aged
dry’s in cooler for 20-28 days
Wet-Aged
in a sealed bag where you let it marinate in the juice
Natural
All beef is natural - haven’t been given antibiotics, animal-by-product, or synthetic growth hormones
Humanely Raised
follow welfare guidelines
Antibiotic Free
no residue in any beef you consume, doesn’t mean they were never given any
No Hormones
all living things have hormones, but this means no extra ones were added
