Beef Cattle Flashcards
What are the 3 types of beef production?
1) cow-calf
2) cattle feeders/feedlots
3) purebred breeders
Cattle dependent on roughages (pasture, hay, and silage) on land unsuitable for crops that involve less labor and lower investment fall under which production type?
Cow-calf
Calves that are bought by the operator as yearlings, confined and fed on grain, grown and finished to market fall under which production type?
Cattle feeders/feedlots
High cost beef production with purebred stock, requiring knowledge and skill to maintain falls under what category?
Purebred breeders
What system is more suitable for farms that produce roughages with cattle that are NOT heavier?
Deferred finishing system
What type of conformation is important for beef cattle to have?
Rectangular-shaped
Beef cows are first bred at what age?
2 years
How often do beef cattle breed and when do they calve?
Once a year and calve in the spring
What is the goal calf weaning weight in beef herd production?
45-50% of cow weight
What is the goal average age at weaning for beef herd production?
150-180 days
When must a cow be bred to get 1 calf per year?
Within 80 days after calving
6 points of reference for BCS in beef cattle…
1) back
2) tail head
3) pins
4) hooks
5) ribs
6) brisket
BCS range for beef cattle
1-9
What BCS range is “ideal” in beef cattle?
5-7
Fall calving aims for breeding to occur around _______; where as Spring calving aims for breeding to occur around ________.
December; May
What percentage of total costs are attributed to feed costs in beef cows?
50-70%
In a spring calving system, what is the max BW loss aim for over enduring the winter?
<10% BW
T or F:
Calf creep-feeding is not advantageous for the adaptation of steers to feedlot finishing.
TRUE
When they get to the feedlot, they go from roughages (protozoa are adapted to the hay, etc.) to concentrate. The rumen environment has to change with the composition of feed; the rumen develops by EATING GRAIN.
What is calf creep feeding?
Providing extra feed like grain/ commercial feed mix to calves in addition to milk
In creep feeding, when will calves start eating grain? What about large amounts of grain?
3 wo;
8 wo
Future bulls used for service should be weaned around what age?
6 mo
Feedlot cattle have different nutritional needs according to:
Sex
Age
Bloat is also known as _______ _______.
What leads to the overproduction of gas, which causes the rumen to swell?
“Ruminal tympany”
Rapid fermentation* green legumes in large amounts, very fast
How can we use dry hay to prevent bloat?
Feed it before pasturing animals!
