Beef Cattle Industry

Question 1

What is the largest enterprise in the US

Answer 1

Beef

Question 2

what percentage of beef raised here are sold here

Answer 2

90%

Question 3

what percentage of global beef does the US produce

Answer 3

20%

Question 4

Species name (2)

Answer 4

Bos Taurus, Bos Indicus

Question 5

What breeds are included in Bos Taurus

Answer 5

British breeds, Exotic breeds

Question 6

Breed of Bos Indicus and characteristics

Answer 6

Brahman

1. heat tolerant
2. hump
3. floppy ears
4. parasite resistant

Question 7

Examples of British breed

Answer 7

Black Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn

Question 8

Characteristics of black angus

Answer 8

polled, moderately framed, maternal traits

Question 9

Hereford characteristics

Answer 9

red body with white face, polled or horned, docile, hardy

Question 10

Shorthorn characteristics

Answer 10

red, white, roan, dual purpose

Question 11

Continental Breeds

Answer 11

1. Limousin
2. Charolais
3. Gelbuieh

Question 12

3 segments in the Beef Industry

Answer 12

1. Cow/Calf
2. Backgrounders/ Stockers
3. Feedlot production (Commercial and Farmer Feeder)

Question 13

Cow/ Calf segment

Answer 13

1. Feeder calves- 6-7 months of age

2. Seedstock- replacement heifers and yearling bulls

Question 14

Backgrounders/ Stockers

Answer 14

• Not all calves go through this stage
  1. High forage diet to gain 1.5-2 lb/day
  2. Pasture
  3. Not trying to finish cattle, just grow them

Question 15

Feedlot production

Answer 15

1. Commercial CAFO feeders
   - 1,000 to 100,000 head of cattle
   - owned by corporations
2. Farmer Feeder producers
   - less than 1000 head
   - upper midwest
   - owned by family farms
   - 30% of feedlot cattle

Question 16

3 types of finishing operations

Answer 16

1. Grainfed
2. Grass fed
3. Organic

Question 17

Grain fed operation

Answer 17

1. primarily corn-based ration, 10-20% roughage
2. branded programs like CAB
3. Naturally raised, no hormones, antibiotics, vegetarian diet

Question 18

Grass fed operations

Answer 18

finished on all forage, no grain

Question 19

3 types of growth promoters

Answer 19

1. Ionophores
2. Implants
3. Beta Agonist

Question 20

Ionophores

Answer 20

1. Monensin
2. Lasalosaid
   All of these are feed additives

Question 21

Implants

Answer 21

Natural or synthetic hormones
Implanted in ear
Partition more energy to muscle instead of fat

Question 22

Beta agonist

Answer 22

Ractopomine
feed additive last 30 days of finishing
Partition more energy to muscle instead of fat

Question 23

Weight of finished market steer

Answer 23

1300-1350 lbs

Question 24

Carcass weight of steer

Answer 24

800-850 lbs

Question 25

What is the dressing percentage of beef

Answer 25

62-63%

Question 26

Percentage of retail weight

Answer 26

40-45%

Question 27

4 largest packing industries

Answer 27

Tyson JBS Cargill National Beef

Question 28

4 stages of production

Answer 28

1. Post Calving Early Lactation 2. Lactation Early Pregnancy 3. Mid gestation 4. Late Gestation

Question 29

Post Calving Early Lactation

Answer 29

1. first 82 days post partum 2. Postpartum anestrus averages 60 days 3. lactate to maintain calf 4. undergo uterine involution 5. start estrus 40-60 days 6. conception at end of this stage HIGH nutrient requirements ** calve in april and may

Question 30

Lactation Early Pregnancy

Answer 30

Starts with conception 1. 83-205 days post partum 2. start at conception to start of 2nd trimester 3. mid to late lactation 4. uses pasture to maximize the use of animal harvested forage

Question 31

Mid gestation

Answer 31

206-315 days postpartum 1. start of this stage is weaning 2. mid gestation=dry period 3. lowest nutrient requirement

Question 32

Late gestation

Answer 32

1. 315-365 days postpartum 2. 3rd trimester has most fetal growth 3. preparing for lactation and calving 4. 2nd highest nutrient requirement

Question 33

Methods for calf weaning

Answer 33

1. Truck- most stressful, separate calves by truck and take to sale 2. drylot- remote weaning, stressful 3. Fence line- on pasture across from cows 4. 2 stage weaning- least stressful, uses a tool in the nose

Question 34

How old are calves when they are weaned

Answer 34

200-205 days

Question 35

What is BRD and what are the symptoms

Answer 35

Bovine Respiratory Disease 1. discharge from noes eyes and mouth 2. coughing and heavy breathing 3. depression, anorexia 4. fever 5. Abortions and reproductive issues

Question 36

What is the mortality and morbidity rates of BRD

Answer 36

50-70% mortality | 75% morbidity

Question 37

How much loss does BRD cause

Answer 37

$800-900 million annually

Question 38

3 Reproductive diseases

Answer 38

1. Infectious Bovine Rhinotrachetisis (IBR) 2. Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) 3. Leptospriosis (Lepto)

Question 39

Clostridial

Answer 39

1. 7 way vaccine for bacterial infections | 2. black leg, redwater, tetanus, entrotozemia

Question 40

Pink eye

Answer 40

bacteria- moraxella bovis | left untreated they can go blind

Question 41

3 Nutritional Disorders

Answer 41

1. Bloat 2. Ruminal Acidosis 3. Polioecephalomalacia (PEM)

Question 42

Bloat

Answer 42

Frothy- grazing cattle | Gaseous- feedlot cattle

Question 43

Ruminal Acidosis

Answer 43

Low ruminal pH, rapid starch fermentation

Question 44

PEM

Answer 44

Thiamin deficiency, sulfur toxicity | Burp themselves to death

Question 45

3 major issues within the beef industry

Answer 45

Numbers: 1. cost of beef in retail 2. meeting the demand 3. age of cattle producers Welfare Issues 1. castration 2. dehorning 3. branding 4. use of growth promotors Food safety 1. BSE: madcow 2. e coli O157:H7

Question 46

Beef industry organizations for producers

Answer 46

National Cattlemans Beef association (NCBA) --Policy and regulations Beef improvement Federation (BIF) --genetic improvement

Question 47

Check off beef people

Answer 47

State beef councils Beef Quality Assurance Masters of Beef Advocacy