Beef cows

Question 1

how many beef cattle in aus

Answer 1

28.7 million

Question 2

how much beef is exported in aus

Answer 2

60-70%

Question 3

value of beef industry in aus

Answer 3

• 15 billion

Question 4

top markets in australian beef

Answer 4

• japan, South Korea, China, US, Indonesia
• marbling, manufacturing and grass fed all factors

Question 5

common beef breed in aus

Answer 5

Bos Indicus

Question 6

why is ausralian beef exported

Answer 6

• high quality
• disease free
• lack oof local supply chain

Question 7

where are cattle mostly disrtibuted

Answer 7

• north to south coast of east aus
• some in south west

Question 8

what is native pasture system

Answer 8

• tropical and subtorpical aus
• non arable land used fro grazing only
• extensive system
• Bos Indicus

Question 9

what is improved pasture system

Answer 9

• southern aus
• temeeprate climate
• Bos taurus
• extensive or intensive

Question 10

what is the tick line

Answer 10

• northern line where temperature and rainfall allows for more tick diseases to spread to cows

Question 11

zoones where cows produced

Answer 11

1. pastoral
2. wheat sheep zone
3. high rainfall zone

Question 12

describe pastoral zone beef production

Answer 12

• central aus (north and middle)
• cattle sations
• e.g. anna creek station
• 0.5-1 million hectares
• 50 - 60% aus herd here
• low stocking density
• native pasture
• avg 2600 herd
• low labour
• bos indicus

Question 13

when does breeding occur in pastoral zone

Answer 13

• wet seasons when cows most fertile
• uncontrolled

Question 14

describe cattle systems in wheat and sheep zone

Answer 14

• 20 -30% herd
• inland coasts, south
• 3000 hectares
• avg 400 head
• fenced
• 1 cow/6.6 hectares
• bos indicus/taurus
• controlled mating
• conserved fodder
• castrate males
• pregnancy testing
• supervised calving

Question 15

describe high rainfall zone cattle

Answer 15

• southern coasts + north east coast
• 25 -35% herd
• 950 hectares
• less than 400 herd
• 1 cow/3.4 hectares
• high quality beef
• low transport costs
• Bos taurus
• controlled grazing
• more conserved fodder

Question 16

what pasture do cows eat

Answer 16

• annual ryegrass and clover
• perennial grasses

Question 17

when do cows need supplementation?

Answer 17

• late summer to mid winter when pasture dies
• protein supplements
• weaners and breeders

Question 18

what is feedlots finished beef

Answer 18

• grain fed for a minimum of 60 days in feedlots (pens)
• family owned usually
• 500 to 50,000 head
• 60% are in queensland, 30% in NSW
• national feedlot accreditation scheme (NFAS) = > 400 farms

Question 19

what is a feedlot

Answer 19

• coonfined yard area with watering and feeding facilities where cattle completely hand or mechanically fed for purpose of production
• fed once or twice daily
• bunk managers

Question 20

benefits of feedlots

Answer 20

• consistent finihsing product
• useful when pasture low
• controlled diet
• easy disease control

Question 21

cattle breeds in Northern Aus

Answer 21

• Bos Indicus:
  braham
  droughtmaster etc

Question 22

bos indicus features

Answer 22

• hump
• droppy ears
• dewlap

Question 23

southern aus breed

Answer 23

Bos Taurus

Question 24

Bos taurus features

Answer 24

British:
- smaller
- more fat
European:
- bigger
leaner

Question 25

phases of beef production:

Answer 25

1. breeding
2. preg testing
3. weaning
4. replacement/ finishing (feedlots or pasture)

Question 26

how often do cows have a calf

Answer 26

1 per year

Question 27

methods of cow joining

Answer 27

controlled:
- north
- less productive
uncontrolled:
- south
- 3 cycles of 9 weeks
- time calving

Question 28

when is pregnancy testing done

Answer 28

• 8-10 weeks

Question 29

when does weaning occur

Answer 29

• 7-8 months old

Question 30

what is breedplan

Answer 30

• genetic slection tool -> estimate breeding value

Question 31

guidlines for cattle welfare includes:

Answer 31

• feed, water, risk management, facilties, equipement, handling, castration, dehorning, spaying, breeding, transport,
  feedlots

Question 32

what welfare laws are in place

Answer 32

• code of practice for the welfare of animals (livestock, 2004)

Question 33

impacts of malnutrition

Answer 33

• decreased immunity
• stress
• pregnancy toxaemia
• milk fever (Ca)
• Grass tetany
• vitamin and mineral deficiencies

Question 34

what is lactic acidosis

Answer 34

• overeating carb foods
• sudden intro onto grain-baised diets (common in feedlots)
• reduced rumen pH
• increased fermentation
• weakness, staggers, drunken gait, diarrhoea, weight loss

Question 35

treatment of lactic acidosis

Answer 35

• reduction is key -> slowly introduce grain diet
• empty the rumen (expensive)

Question 36

what is laminitis

Answer 36

• caused by high grain diet for long periods
• laminae in hooves imbalanced
• extreme pain, off feed, difficult walking
• sloughing of hooves

Question 37

how to treat laminitis

Answer 37

• prevent with proper nutrition
• anti-inflammatories
• keep on soft bedding

Question 38

what are liver abscesses

Answer 38

• caused by sudden changes from pasture to high grain diet
• rumen wall eroded
• bacteria gain acces to liver causing necrosis
• abdominal pain

Question 39

how to treat abscesses

Answer 39

• antibotics
• manage acidosis
• transition to grain slowly

Question 40

what is bovine respiratory disease

Answer 40

• VERY serious
• most common
• variety of infectious viruses and bacteria
• coughing, nasal discharge, depression, pneumonia

Question 41

how to prevent/ttreat bovine resp disease

Answer 41

• vaccines, reduced stress
• antimicrobials