Beef Cattle Industry Flashcards
What is the largest enterprise in the US
Beef
what percentage of beef raised here are sold here
90%
what percentage of global beef does the US produce
20%
Species name (2)
Bos Taurus, Bos Indicus
What breeds are included in Bos Taurus
British breeds, Exotic breeds
Breed of Bos Indicus and characteristics
Brahman
- heat tolerant
- hump
- floppy ears
- parasite resistant
Examples of British breed
Black Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn
Characteristics of black angus
polled, moderately framed, maternal traits
Hereford characteristics
red body with white face, polled or horned, docile, hardy
Shorthorn characteristics
red, white, roan, dual purpose
Continental Breeds
- Limousin
- Charolais
- Gelbuieh
3 segments in the Beef Industry
- Cow/Calf
- Backgrounders/ Stockers
- Feedlot production (Commercial and Farmer Feeder)
Cow/ Calf segment
- Feeder calves- 6-7 months of age
2. Seedstock- replacement heifers and yearling bulls
Backgrounders/ Stockers
- 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
Feedlot production
- Commercial CAFO feeders
- 1,000 to 100,000 head of cattle
- owned by corporations - Farmer Feeder producers
- less than 1000 head
- upper midwest
- owned by family farms
- 30% of feedlot cattle
3 types of finishing operations
- Grainfed
- Grass fed
- Organic
Grain fed operation
- primarily corn-based ration, 10-20% roughage
- branded programs like CAB
- Naturally raised, no hormones, antibiotics, vegetarian diet
Grass fed operations
finished on all forage, no grain
3 types of growth promoters
- Ionophores
- Implants
- Beta Agonist
Ionophores
- Monensin
- Lasalosaid
All of these are feed additives
Implants
Natural or synthetic hormones
Implanted in ear
Partition more energy to muscle instead of fat
Beta agonist
Ractopomine
feed additive last 30 days of finishing
Partition more energy to muscle instead of fat
Weight of finished market steer
1300-1350 lbs
Carcass weight of steer
800-850 lbs
What is the dressing percentage of beef
62-63%
Percentage of retail weight
40-45%
4 largest packing industries
Tyson
JBS
Cargill
National Beef
4 stages of production
- Post Calving Early Lactation
- Lactation Early Pregnancy
- Mid gestation
- Late Gestation
Post Calving Early Lactation
- first 82 days post partum
- Postpartum anestrus averages 60 days
- lactate to maintain calf
- undergo uterine involution
- start estrus 40-60 days
- conception at end of this stage
HIGH nutrient requirements
** calve in april and may
Lactation Early Pregnancy
Starts with conception
- 83-205 days post partum
- start at conception to start of 2nd trimester
- mid to late lactation
- uses pasture to maximize the use of animal harvested forage
Mid gestation
206-315 days postpartum
- start of this stage is weaning
- mid gestation=dry period
- lowest nutrient requirement
Late gestation
- 315-365 days postpartum
- 3rd trimester has most fetal growth
- preparing for lactation and calving
- 2nd highest nutrient requirement
Methods for calf weaning
- Truck- most stressful, separate calves by truck and take to sale
- drylot- remote weaning, stressful
- Fence line- on pasture across from cows
- 2 stage weaning- least stressful, uses a tool in the nose
How old are calves when they are weaned
200-205 days
What is BRD and what are the symptoms
Bovine Respiratory Disease
- discharge from noes eyes and mouth
- coughing and heavy breathing
- depression, anorexia
- fever
- Abortions and reproductive issues
What is the mortality and morbidity rates of BRD
50-70% mortality
75% morbidity
How much loss does BRD cause
$800-900 million annually
3 Reproductive diseases
- Infectious Bovine Rhinotrachetisis (IBR)
- Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)
- Leptospriosis (Lepto)
Clostridial
- 7 way vaccine for bacterial infections
2. black leg, redwater, tetanus, entrotozemia
Pink eye
bacteria- moraxella bovis
left untreated they can go blind
3 Nutritional Disorders
- Bloat
- Ruminal Acidosis
- Polioecephalomalacia (PEM)
Bloat
Frothy- grazing cattle
Gaseous- feedlot cattle
Ruminal Acidosis
Low ruminal pH, rapid starch fermentation
PEM
Thiamin deficiency, sulfur toxicity
Burp themselves to death
3 major issues within the beef industry
Numbers:
- cost of beef in retail
- meeting the demand
- age of cattle producers
Welfare Issues
- castration
- dehorning
- branding
- use of growth promotors
Food safety
- BSE: madcow
- e coli O157:H7
Beef industry organizations for producers
National Cattlemans Beef association (NCBA)
–Policy and regulations
Beef improvement Federation (BIF)
–genetic improvement
Check off beef people
State beef councils
Beef Quality Assurance
Masters of Beef Advocacy