Beef Cattle Nutrition Flashcards
General features of Cow-Calf operations
- herd of cows bred each year to produce calves
- calves sold to cattle feeders
- land unsuitable for crops
- dependent on roughages
- cows on pasture with little grain
General features of Cattle Feeders/Feedlots
- grow/finish calves until market
- animals confined and fed on grain
General features of Purebred Breeders
- keep herd of purebred stocks
- provide replacement bulls and heifers
- requires knowledge and skill
- high costs
Describe the “Finishing Immediately” System
- more grain and less roughages
- fed on grain until processing
- suitable for heavier animals
Describe the “Deferred Finishing” System
- more roughages, less grain
- calves bought in fall, wintered on roughage
- pastured during the summer
- next fall, fully fed on grain in feedlots
What are the goals for the following? Calf crop Calving interval Calf weaning weight Average age at weaning
calf crop: 90%
interval: 365 days
weight: 45-50% of cow weight
age: 150-180 days (6 months)
What is the desired BCS for the following: Maintenance/mid-gestation Late gestation + parturition Breeding Lactation
M: 4.5
G+P: 5.5
B: 5
L: 4.5
What is the hungry calf gap?
the difference in milk required by calf, and milk available from the cow
What are the symptoms of Bovine Pulmonary Emphysema?
- panting
- coughing
- breathing difficulties
Describe Brisket disease
- heart condition (enlargement)
- associated with high altitudes
- swelling of lower neck and brisket
What is Enterotoxemia?
Who does it affect?
- over-eating disease
- Clostridium perfringens
- affects cattle on high concentrate diet
What are the symptoms of enterotoxemia?
- lameness
- blood diarrhea
- bloating
- death in 24 hours
What causes Fescue toxicity?
- fescue contaminated with Neotyphodium coenophialum
- produces ergot type alkaloids
What are the symptoms of Fescue toxicity?
- do not shed winter coat
- thin and feverish
- reduced calving
- reduced calf weight
- fescue foot: gangrene
What is Fluorosis?
What are the symptoms?
- poisoning due to excessive fluorine contents in water or feed]
- abnormal teeth and bones, stiff joints, diarrhea, appetite loss