beef industry Flashcards
what are the 4 main sections of beef production?
- pedigree breeding herds
- commercial beef suckler herd
- young stock rearing units
- fattening units
what do pedigree breeding herds produce?
- breeding bulls
- high value breeding stock
what does EBV stand for?
estimated breeding value
what is estimating breeding value
a figure that indicates how much better or worse an animal is when compared with an average animal in the breed
what is the index number for the breed average in EBV
100
what is the max index in the EBV
130
Name some EBV’s
- gestation length
- calving ease
- birthweight
- 200 day weight
- 400 days weight
- muscle score
- fat depth
- 200 day milk kg
- beef value- carcase income
what is a commercial beef suckling herd?
herd producing young stock destined for slaughter as a beef carcase
when do commercial beef sucker herd calve?
spring or autumn calving
explain commercial beef suckler herd- spring calving
- what is it based on
- when are they weaned
- based on grass grazing and out-wintering
- calves weaned in the autumn
explain commercial beef suckler herd- autumn calving
- need conserved forages
- need adequate building and bedding
- calves weaned at turnout or over the summer
Want compact calving season so:
Easier calf management as all the same age
Older calves heavier at weaning
Reduced calf mortality
Easier feeding of cows as all the same age
Keep correct BCS
Cows calving early have longer to get back into calf
feed costs what percentage total variable costs?
75%
what are young stock rearing units and the risks?
- take calves from the dairy sector
- young animals have variable resilience. they are put at high risk by mixing and allowing the exchange of pathogens. Biosecurity is very difficult
what are fattening units?
take young stock from both suckler herds and rearing unit. and they fatten them for slaughter
what are the 4 main phases of beef cattle as they arrive at finishing units?
- backgrounding for 35 days: animals recover from transportation stress and competition and get used to feeding conditions and the environment etc
- transition for 35 days
- growing for 60 days
- finishing for 60 days
what do the phases in the fattening units allow?
gradual transition from forage-based to high concentrate based diets whilst minimising the risk of acidosis
what age do you aim to slaughter in fattening units?
within 30 months
diet can affect colour of meat, how?
cereal diet = white
- carotenoid pigment in green forage = yellow
what meat has longer meat shelf life and why?
grass-fed beef, higher level of antioxidants
in carcase grading what letters and numbers are used?
S E U R O P
1 2 3 4L 4H 5L 5 H
L = leaner
H = fatter
what letters and numbers do you aim for in carcase grading?
E U R at 3 or 4L ( 4 leaner)
what regulation talked about hygiene control for slaughter?
EC regulation 853/2004 (H2)
what things can go wrong with injection techniques?
- visible injection sites: injection knots
- infected injection sites: abscess
results in trimming of carcase, reduced palatability of the means and can contain drug residues
