beef cattle all lectures Flashcards
family and genus
bovidae, bos
evolution
2-3 separated events
- descended from aurochs (bos primigenius) now extinct
bovid
any animal of bos genus
bovine
adjective of animal of bos genus
ox
generic term for individual bovid
cattle
group of animals of bos genus
bull
male bovid
cow
adult female who has had at least one calf
heifer
female has not had calf yet
steer
desexed/ castrated male
calf
young bovid under one year old
weaner
6-12 months old animal (deciduous teeth retained)
weaning
separating suckling calves from mother permanently
yearling
12 month old animal
bullock
castrated male over 2 years old
free martin
female twin in mixed sex twins, usually sterile
store
animal before fattening, usually older than a weaner
dam
animals female parent
sire
animals male parent
first calf heifer
breeder cow having had her first calf
breeder
cow used for breeding purposes
spay
female whose ovaries have been removed
webbing
severing the fallopian tubes w ovaries intact in the female
mickey
young intact male, usually undesirable for breeding purposes
maiden
unmated heifer
slink
aborted calf or found in utero at slaughter
springer
heifer or cow about the calve
mob/herd
group of animals
1 acre = how many hectare
0.4
clean skin
unbranded or tagged
stag
bull castrated late in life; showing male characteristics
fat
an animal fat enough for slaughter
cracker
old cow, often low fat depths, yielding low quality meat
boner
animal yielding low quality meat
cull
an animal culled from the herd because of age/ infertility etc
bogan/ mallee/ cocky’s/ rails
gates made from barbed wire w usually a lever latch
drop the bogan= open the gate
thurl
hip joint
ruminants have
3 fore stomachs before the true stomach
1) rumen (paunch; left side of a cow)
2) reticulum (honeycomb)
3) omasum (bible)
4) abomasum (true stomach)
how many L of fluid in rumen in adult
100 L
paunch
lining in rumen likened to shag pile carpeting
rumen
- storage vat for fermentation
- microbial population digests or ferments feed by the animal
- absorbs most of the VFA produced from fermentation
microbe pop in rumen
protozoa, bacteria, fungi
primary vs secondary rumen contractions
- primary; originate in reticulum, moving caudally around the rumen and mixing contents
- secondary; cranial reticulorumen involvement for rumination (chewing cud)
reticulum
- pouch- like structure, w the inner lining resembling a honeycomb
- collect small particles and move to omasum
- larger particles move to rumen
- location for bolus formation to be chewed again
- fold of tissues between reticulorumen, but not strictly separate
- heavy or dense feed and metal objects drop into this compartment
rumination
bringing up bolus of feed to chew
where is location where heavy or dense feed/ metal objects go
reticulum
omasum
- butchers bible
- globe-shaped structure contains leaves of tissue
- absorbs water and other substances from digestive contents
- ingesta drier here than other areas
abomasum
- true stomach
- has glandular lining
- hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes, needed for breakdown of feed, are secreted into the abomasum
- comparable to the stomach of non- ruminant
- pH 3.5-4.0
ruminant small intestine
similar to other species; aids in digestion and absorption
ruminant large intestine
- similar to other species; major water absorption
- spiral colon
ruminants dental conformation
- hard dental pad
- diastema between incisors and molars
how many bites a day do cattle do
25 000 to 40 000 bites a day
wrap their tongue around forage to bring toward mouth
in calves; oesophageal groove so
milk bypasses rumen and reticulum, use abomasum more
saliva has high concentrations of
bicarbonate and phosphorus
- nitrogen recycling
- lipase and amylase
ruminant teeth movement
crush and grind forage, lateral movement
cattle can be aged by eruption of their permanent incisors:
- 0: less than 18 months
- 1-2: 18-30 months (1-2 years)
- 3-4; 24-36 months (2-3yrs)
- 5-6: 30-42 months (3 ish)
- 7; 36-48 months (4 yr ish)
- 8: 42+ months, 4 yrs
around 1 pair per year
bos taurus
- chunky, shorter, teddy bears around face, ears pointing up
- european
- adapted to cooler climates
- heavier muscling
- higher marbling and increased tenderness
- better flavour
- early maturity and faster growth rates early
bos indicus
- tall, lanky, ears lower
- originated from indian zebu or brahman
- adapted to hot and arid climates
- typically have larger ears and a shorter coat
- parasite resistance
- lower fertility
angus; black and red
- bos taurus british breed
- developed mainly in south-eastern regions
-excellent carcass quality; marbling and tenderness - great mothering and milking
- red angus increased in popularity; red gives comparative heat tolerance advantage
beef shorthorns
- bos taurus british breed
- first registered breed in aus
- red, white or roan
- high reproductive performance, thrive in many harsh climatic conditions
- basis of the northern beef herd
- good marbling
poll and horned herefords
- bos taurus; british breed
- dominant breed throughout southern aus
- expansion of this breed was dueto opening of UK market
- docile
- good feed efficiency
- mostly red w white face and chest and socks
other bos taurus; british breeds
- murray grey
- red poll
- south devon/ devon
- galloway
- lincoln red
- briitsh white
charolais
- bos taurus; european breed
- good growth rate
- heavy muscle, large frame
- good carcass yields
- in pic white and BUFF
simmental
- bos taurus; european
- good growth rate
- good carcass yield
- deep reddy brown
gelbvieh
- bos taurus; european
- good growth rates
- improved tick reisstance
- good carcass characteristics
- pixie colour
brown swiss
- dual purpose
- bos taurus; european
- good growth rates
- large frame
- good milkers
- brown/ grey
other bos taurus europeans
- limousin
- chianina
- blonde d’aquitaine
- romanogla
- maine anjou
- belgian blue
waygu
- bos taurus
- japan
- derived from native asian cattle
- noted for their marbling
- 4 breeds in japan
- japanese black
- japanese brown (red)
- nihon tankaku (japanese shorthorn) - lean
- japanese polled (mukaku) - lean
bos indicus; brahmans
- adaptability of bos indicus cattle to Northern aus
- particularly genetic resistance to ticks, heat and humid climate tolerance
- tropically adapted
- good foraging
- dominate pastoral regions of northern aus
droughtmaster
- bos indicus
- australian
- heat tolerance
- parasite resistance
- high fertility
- ease of calving
- digestive efficiency
- docile
bos indicus; cross breeds
- crossbreeding is mating of 2 or more breeds to take advantages of heterosis or hybrid vigour
- new breeds are stabilized over time
- vary in % of brahman
- heat tolerance and parasite resistance w a level of meat quality as a critical issue
- all australian except santa gertrudis (texan)