Beef cattle Flashcards
What are the types of beef production?
- cow-calf operations
- Cattle feeders/Feedlots
- Purebred breeders
Cow calf operations are dependent upon what for nutrition?
Roughages - pasture, hay, and silage
*cows are maintained on pasture with little grain
What type of beef production requires less labor and lower financial investment?
Cow-calf
FYI - typical of the Western States and upper great plains
What is the purpose of cattle feeders/feedlots?
grow and finish calves till market
Why are feedlots more expensive than cow calf operations?
They buy yearlings and finish them until market by keeping them confined and feeding grain ($$$ and labor intensive)
What is the purpose of purebred breeders in beef production?
they keep herds of purebred stock - to provide replacement bulls and heifers for cow-calf operations
**this requires knowledge, skill, and $$$$$$
How many animals are on commercial feedlots? How many are on farmer feeders?
Commercial - more than 1000 animals
Farmer feeders - less than 1000 animals (farmers use their own roughage and grain)
What are the two types of feedlot finishing?
- Finishing immediately (mostly grain)
2. Deferred finishing systems (roughage with some grain)
What breeds/animals are suitable for finishing immediately? What is the time frame like?
Best for heavier breeds and animals
Steer calves: 275 days
Heifers: 230 days
Yearlings (male) - 175 days
Yearlings (female) - 130days
What is the typical time frame and process of feeding for calves that are bought for deferred finishing systems?
- calves bought in autumn and wintered on roughage - small amts of grain
- calves are pastured for 90-120 days during the summer
- subsequent fall –> feedlot for 120-150 days; all grain diet
What farms are suitable for deferred finishing systems?
Farms that produce roughages
Ideally, how many heat cycles will a cow have between pregnancies?
2
How many bulls are needed to service 100 cows?
4
How long do bulls run with cows to maintain a short calving season?
60 days
What is the time frame of pregnancy diagnosing?
60 - 90 days after breeding season
non pregnant animals will be sold
If your cow calf operation is on a spring calving schedule, when will you perform a pregnancy check?
Calves born in the spring (March) –> next preg check will be in the early fall (September)
at the the same time as weaning the spring calves
What are management procedures routinely performed on calves on cow-calf operations?
Castration (between birth and 4 months; burdizzo pincers or elastrator bands)
Dehorning (chemical or physical)
Branding or marking (hot iron, freeze branding, ear tagging, tattoo, rumen bolus)
What are the 4 main goals of a successful cow-calf operation?
- maintain reproductive efficiency
- Minimize calf morbidity and mortality
- Keep cows cheaply over winter
- Market a calf that someone wants to buy
(Aim to maximize number of calves sold)
How long is the gestation period of cattle? When must they be bred to ensure they produce 1 calf per year?
Gestation is approx 9 months (180 days)
they must be bred within 80 days of calving to produce 1 calf per year
When is a beef cow in highest nutrient needs?
Period 1: Post calving - high lactation (~82 days)
What scale is used to score beef cattle body condition?
BCS ranges 1-9
T/F: Both beef and dairy cattle use a 1-9 BCS scale
FALSE
dairy cattle= 1 - 5 scale
What are the 6 points of reference when performing a BCS on beef cattle?
Back Tail head Pins Hooks Ribs Brisket
What is considered an ideal BCS for beef cattle?
5
between 5-7 is ideal range
What are problems encountered in beef cattle with BCS of less than 5?
Failure to cycle Failure to conceive Increased calving interval Increased days on estrus Decreased calf vigor
What are problems encountered with beef cattle that have BSC of 8 or 9?
Costly to maintain Increased rate/chance of dystocia Impaired mobility Failure to cycle Failure to conceive
What are the biological priorities for nutrients in beef cows?
In order of priority: Maintenance Growth Milk production Reproduction
FYI - feed costs are about 50-70% of total costs
What factors influence nutritional requirements?
Stage of production weather BCS Milk production Age Growth Physical activity
What is a good way to keep nutrition costs low for beef cattle?
Utilizing forages and pastures
beef cattle do well on pastures. When grazing is not available - forages and crop residues (cornstalks etc) can be used
What is the purpose or rotational grazing?
Good pasture management to increase yield of pastures
For cows with a spring calving season, what is the highest percent of their body weight that they can lose over winter?
10%
If cows lose too much weight they will have low calving percentages
Will young cows and heifers require more or less feed than mature cows?
MORE
During cold weather, feed and energy intake needs to be increased or decreased? Why?
Feed and energy intake must be increased due to the stress associated with the cold, and energy needed to stay warm
When do the nutritional needs of a pregnant cow increase? How should her diet be changed?
During the last 2 months of pregnancy = increased needs
Increase in protein in the diet (supply high quality hay or supplement with protein blocks pending on quality of feed in the area)
How should minerals be supplemented to cows?
Free choice mineral blocks
*adapt to specific needs of that geographic location (ex: pastures in the pacific NW are low on selenium)
What minerals need to be increased significantly for lactating cows?
Calcium and Phosphorus
FYI - these cows will also require a significant increase in protein and energy
Feeding lactating cows is dependent on their ____ ________
Milk production
T/F: High quality pastures may be sufficient to feed lactating cows
TRUE
but if high quality pastures are not available. lactating cows may have to be fed in a drylot. If the amount of legume is reduced - protein supps will be needed etc
What is creep feeding? Who benefits from it?
Creep feeding provides calves with extra feed besides milk. Areas within the pasture will be available for calves to safely get into and eat grain/commercial feed mix (the feeder is fenced off to larger animals). This will help get them used to eating grain and their GI tract more prepared for the transition to feedlots
What are some benefits of creep feeding?
Fills the hungry calf Improves weaning weight Compensates for low milk production Simplifies weaning Aids in controlling parasites
etc etc (more in powerpoint)
What are disadvantages to creep feeding?
May not be economical
May impair future milk production of replacement heifers
Interferes with selection of cows for milk production
etc etc (more in powerpoint slide)
At what age do you start creep feeding calves?
3 weeks (this is when calves start eating grain)
They start to eat large amounts around 8 weeks
- grain will provide energy requirement
- milk and pasture will provide protein, minerals, and vitamins
What must be avoided in replacement heifers?
Over conditioning
Pasture/forages should suffice for their diet
if the pasture is of poor quality - then supplementation will be required
Future bulls for servicing should be weaned at what age?
6 months
Normally, bulls are hand fed until ____ and then put out on pasture
spring
What should be fed to growing bulls to avoid over conditioning and metabolic diseases like bloat or acidosis?
Plenty of roughage
T/F: Bulls lose condition during the breeding season
TRUE
after the end of breeding season - they can recover their condition
T/F: Mature bulls have similar needs to young bulls
FALSE
young bulls will require more protein to support growth
How are cattle segregated on the feed lot?
By sex - steers and heifers have different needs
Why must transition of feed for new feedlot calves be a slow process?
To avoid rumen imbalance and metabolic dz
Most of the cattle arriving at the feedlot had had little to no grain –> with the exception of those cattle that have been creep fed
For a new feedlot calf that has had no exposure to grain, what is the best mixture to start with?
- 80% concentrates(cereal)/20% roughages
- 60% concentrates/40% roughages
- 90% grain/10% roughages
2 is the best option - then gradually increase to reach a full grain diet (want this to happen as fast as possible)
**if the cattle is adapted to full feed –> start on 90% grain and 10% roughage
What is ruminal tympany?
aka bloat
rapid fermentation in the rumen will lead to an over production of gas –> the rumen swells–> animal can not get ride of gas
What is the major cause of bloat in beef cattle?
Green legumes in large amounts, very fast
What are methods that can be used to prevent bloat from happening?
Gradual diet adaptation
Feed dry hay before pasturing animals
What beef cattle population is pulmonary emphysema common in?
Feedlot cattle
Etiology unclear
What are some was to prevent bovine pulmonary emphysema?
Reduce dust from feeds/environment
Reduce concentrate/grain from diet
Putting cattle on pasture
What is brisket disease? What geographic locations is it associated with?
Right sided heart failure—> edema of lower neck and brisket
associated with high altitudes
What symptoms may you see in beef cattle with enterotoxemia and what toxins are the cause?
signs: lameness, hem. diarrhea, bloating, death
Clostridium perfringens
What causes fescue toxicity?
endophyte fungus produced ergot type alkaloids
causes fescue foot - gangrene in cattle in winter
What causes summer syndrome in cattle?
Fescue contaminated with endophyte fungus
causes: increased body temp, rapid breathing, decreased production
Where in the US is fescue toxicity generally seen?
Central and Eastern US
signs: cattle don’t shed winter coat, thin and febrile, reduced calving, reduced calf wt, decreased conception, fescue foot
How do you prevent fescue toxicity?
Dilute fescue amounts by planting clover or bermuda grass
Replace with varieties that contain non toxic fungus
What is fluorosis and where is it of concern to cattle?
Occurs in the US where flurine/fluorides content in water and feeds are too high –> creates a poisoning effect as it builds up over time.
What clinical signs may you see in cattle with fluorosis?
abnormal teeth abnormal bones stiff joints diarrhea organ damage decreased appetite/emaciation
What is founder? In which cattle is it common in?
Inflammation and swelling of the food connective tissue
Common in feedlot cattle –> caused by overeating concentrates and or standing in the stall for long periods of time
What causes grass tetany in cattle?
Inadequate blood magnesium levels
What cattle are most susceptible to getting grass tetany?
Lactating animals grazing on rapidly growing lush pastures during the beginning of pasture season (low levels of mg and high levels of K)
How can grass tetany be prevented?
Fertilize pastures with correct potassium levels
provide adequate Mg daily during high risk periods
use mineral blocks to provide balanced diet
Use legumes (high in Mg)
Supplement animals on fast growing pasture
When does nitrate poisoning occur?
When excess nitrates in feed or water are converted by the microorganisms in the rumen –> nitrate will be absorbed interacting with hemoglobin reducing O2 carry capacity to the tissues
When does nitrate poisoning occur?
In periods of drought –> excessive amount of nitrates in the pasture
common in green cut forages
T/F: Nitrate poisoning can typically be treated when it is detected
FALSE
normally when detected - it is too late
How do you prevent nitrate poisoning?
Use silage
Including high energy feed like grain in ration will reduce risk
Analyze feeds and water if it is a common problem in the region
(central US & north west)
What legume causes photo-sensitization?
Alsike clover
What bacteria causes rumenitis (liver abscess complex) in feedlot cattle?
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Few clinical signs - abscessed liver noted at PM
(high grain diet–> acidosis –> GI ulcers –> bacteria travels to liver via blood)
What causes white muscle disease in cattle?
Selenium deficiency
occurs in locations where soil is low in selenium (accumulation of free radicals)
