Beef cattle 2 Flashcards
what is the most important thing on a commercial cattle operation
creation of new wealth (calves to sell)
-at least 5x more important then growth and milk production
-at least 10x more important than carcass quality
what are the total costs to keep a cow for 1 year
$1500
what happens if not all cows get pregnant
if 95% (5% open) froduce a calf a year each calf must bear a cost of $1575
if 90% are pregnant each calf must bear cost of 1650
therefore objective is to get all cows pregnant
how many calves does it take to cover the development costs of a heifer
4-5
beef cattle should have low level of management meaning…
should emphasize genetic potential
potential animal performance=
genetics+environment
what are the cow calf economic like
-known for modest rates of returns
-focus on cost per pound (kg) weaned
-unit cost production (UCOP)=cost per 100 lbs calf waned (more important then weaning weight)
how do you calculate the UCOP (unit cost production)
total cowherd cost/total lbs of calf weaned
how heritable are fertility traits
lowly heritable
what is the heritability of conception rate
h^2 =0 to 0.10
what is the heritability of calving interval
h^2=0-0.10
what is the heritability of fetal survival (embryonic loss)
low
whats more important calving ease or body birth weight
calving ease
what enhances survivability to calf weaning (5-6months)
-colostrum at birth (passive immunity)
-mothering ability
-milk quality
how soon into pregnancy can you ultrasound
30 days
purebred operations may do so and rebreed if not pregnant
how soon can you do a rectal palpation
60 + days
what happens in a commercial herd if a cow isnt pregnant
females are sold in the fall if breeding is in summer
what are clean up bulls
bulls released with cows after about 7-10 days after AI
meant to breed open cows in next cycle
what is the goal for cows bread in the first heat cycle
70% or greater
BSC test
breeding soundness evaluation for bulls
what is the heritability for scrotal circumference
h^2=0.40 to 0.60
what is the ideal scrotal circumference for bulls at 12 months
grater than or equal to 32 cm
what is evaluated for sperm count
volume, motility, sperm morphology
what is one thing that can be evaluated in bulls
libito
when is bull puberty
12-15 months of age, larger breeds later
therefore many purebred producers calve in January
when are bulls sold
usually January, sometimes February
what does heat form fat in bulls do
reduces sperm count
what does freezing temps do to stored sperm
it damages it
what is a good bull to cow ratio
1bull per 25-30 cows
1 yearling bull per 15-20 cows
what is a good bull to cow ratio in rough terrain or large pasutre/rangeland
1 bull per 10-15 cows
1 yearling bull per 10 cows
what does a sorter breeding season mena for culls
more culls
do producers like to mix yearling bulls with mature bulls
not
what is natural service conception rates
90-98%
should expect ~85%+ live calves
what is AI conception rates
should expect 55-56% pregnant
(good heat detection)
what are ways to detect a cow in hear
-gomer bull=vasectomized bull marks cow in heat
-observation of mounting twice/day
visual aids (mounting patched KMAR)
what is a good way to breed heifers
buy and use a separate heifer bull, lighter birth weights expected
what are bull sales like
-mainly yearling (12-13 months of age)
-bull sales in febuary and march (pre-breeding season)
-also 2 year old bull sales (rare)
how could you calculate adjusted calf wean weight
adj 205 d ww=wean wt-birth weight/wean age=birth weight + dam age
how does dams age effect birth weight
2=+15%
3=+10%
4=+5%
5-10=0
greater then or eq to 11=+5%
what genders grow best
male 1.1>castrated male 1.05>female 1
what are correction factors for comparing records of weight
sex
dams age
age of calf
twin vs singleton
twin vs singleton
75% of expected weight
how heritable are performance traits
highly heritable:
birth weight: 0.30-0.40
wean weight: 0.30-0.35
post weaning gain: 0.50-0.55
what are genetic correlations of post wean gain and carcass grade
weaning wt: post wean gain 0.46
weaning wt: carcass grade 0.52
what is the heritability of carcass quality
slaughter grade: 0.40-0.45
loin eye area: 0.55-0.60
tenderness: 0.50-0.60
marbling: 0.40-0.45
how do heifers and old cows do calving
-heifers have more problems
-old cows abort more
what is the average herd age
5-7 years
what is the problem with all the cattle breeds
-breed groups dont talk to eachother
-but they should to help commercial operations
bos taurus
all european breeds
bos inducus breeds
zebu brahma breeds
where does brahma breedings happen
increase as you go south
what is the order of operation for beef cattle management for commercial operation
-jan/feb cows fed well for fetal (conceptus) growth
-march/april calving + feed cows very well for milk production (lactation)
-may/june move cows to pasture
-june/july breeding season cows (63 days) heifers (45 days)
-aug/sept creep feed calves
-october weaning, select and cull
-november/december feed cost effective, gradually improve feed quality
what is the order of operation for beef cattle management for purebred operation
-calve in jan or feb
-yearling bull sales in jan/feb
-puberty 12-15 months
-breed mid april
when do commercial operations calve and breed
they calve in march/april and breed july/aug/sept
today some operations calve in may-pasture calving
how much are calves growing nursing on dam at pasture per day
0.9 to 1.1 kg/day
how much are calves growing during backgrounding(100-120 days old) per day
0.7 to 1.1kg/d (70% hay, silage)
how much are calves growing during finishing per day
1.4 to 1.8 kg/day
(80-90% grain diet)
how old are calves when backgrounded
100-120 days
how is the slaughter of cattle done to maintain market
1) different breeds reach finish, target backfat at different ages
2) cattle left on grass longer in some locations than others
-backgrounding programs
-fall calving
what are finishing programs
-fast growth before slaughter (about the last 90-150-230 days)
-grass-finish or forage-finish
-in australia, brazil, canada
-fat colour is yellow instead of white
feed lot programs
-grouped by size and/or body type and to some extent age
-silage is typically fed in large lots
-grain and hay
what things are needed to maintain welfare in feedlots
-adjustment (adaption) to diet, different water, etc is needed
-clean, dry bedding
-well drained corral
-snow fence may be only “shelter”
-grain content of feed in gradually increased
-bloat must be prevented
why are feed lot economics risky
-price marge=differene in $/lb (kg) between buying and selling
-feed margin (cost of grain[COG])
-difference between cost/lb gain and selling price
what are different kinds of animal identification
-branding
-tattoo
-permanent ID
what are the different branding ways
hot and freeze
what must purebreds have on their tags
letters that identifies the year they were born
F=2018
G=2019
H=2020
J=2021
K=2022
L=2023
RFID
radio frequency
reg with canadian cattle identifacation agency-age verified
polled
no horns
smooth polled
clean head often peaked
smooth polled
both parents polled (since trait is dominant not homozygous)
dehorning practices
-caustic paste (bud) at one month of age or less
-cutting (wire saw)
-heat cauterization- buddex electric dehorner
what things are used to improve welfare to cattle when dehorning
-after horn bud attachment must use pain control (anesthetic (lidocine); analegestic (meloxicam)
-at birth ie smaller the horn the better
castration timing
-crossbred males typically castrated early (at birth)
-purebred typically in fall at time of cull
castration methods
-surgical (removal of both testes)
-elastrator ring (at birth)
-burdizzo emasculator crushes cords
what is the rule for pain management and calf castration
older the 6 months of age will require pain control (ie analgesic (meloxicam))
what are antibiotics used for in beef cattle
-treat diseases
-prevent disease in high risk groups (upon arrival at feedlot injectable and in feed for 28 days
-promote growth (subteraputic)
-enhance feed efficiency (subteraputic)
what happens if a cattle has been given antibiotics
-regulated withdrawal period
-CFIA no treated animal enters the food chain
what are concerns with antibiotics
-mass treatment of animals
-(metaphylaxis) could lead to resistance (AMR)
-over prescription of antibiotics
where are antimicrobials more common vet med or humans
its 16x more than vet med
patients not complying with duration of medication (resistants)
ionophores
-soluble molecules produces by some bacteria (change in microbial populations, reduces methane)
-aids in transport of ions across cell membranes
-acts as coccidiostats (rumencin)
-not used in humans
what do ionophores increase in cattle
-ADG and feed efficiency
-more efficient feed conversion 10-15%
-decreases methane in ruminants
what do ionophores reduce in cattle
-ruminal acidosis and bloat
rumensin
ionophore (monensin sodium)
how does the use of antibiotics in canada compare to Europe
-EU has banned
-canada hasnt but they must be prescribed by a vet= i.e only used to treat sick animals
-however entry into feedlots to prevent disease in question (metaphylaxis use)
if no antibiotics what can you do
-improve management of animals
-pre and probiotics
-some plants have antimicrobial compounds
(garlic, red osier dogwood[antioxidant])
what are hormones
anabolic growth promoter
why use hormones
-promote growth
-90% feed lot cattle
-20% increase in growth
-consume 15% less feed
what are the concerns with hormones
in meat residue- CFIA audited at packing plant
what are consumers concerns with hormones
-in feces and urine, goes to drinking water, then to other food
why isnt beef just the problem when it comes to hormones
birth control, postmenopausal therapy
hormone implant use in EU vs north america
-banned in EU, cant sell beef that have had implants, new trade agreement opens up this market
-90% of slaughter carcasses have had implants in N america
ralgro (zeranol)
derived from corn mold-anabolic agent-simulates growth
how much estrogen does a cow with vs with out implant have
1.1 ng with out, 1.9 ng without
beef industry sectors-purebred
-supply breeding stock to commercial cattlemen
-concentrate on specific traits
beef industry sectors-commercial cow-calf producer
-maintain cow herd and raise calves
-calves sold at weaning 225-270kg
-go to feedlot
-or backgrounding to feedlot
beef industry sectors-backgrounding lots
-feed calves forage based rations
-225-270kg grown to 360-430kg
->finishing
beef industry sectors-finishing feed lots
-feed yearling, and backgrounded calves
-fed high energy
-14-22 months=450-630kg
beef industry sectors- packers
slaughter and produce carcass (270-360kg)
beef industry sectors- wholesalers
-purchase beef
-distribute (wholesalers, retailers or food industry)
-many add value before selling (cutting, aging, packing)
