Beef Nutrition I Flashcards
how many cows are in a large cow-calf operation?
200 or more
what is backgrounding?
weaned calves kept on dry lot fed roughage and grain
what is stocker operation?
weaned calves, grazing pasture with some grain supplementation
what is a finishing operation?
grow to finished weight for slaughter
small scale beef cattle operations account for what percentage of cow-calf operations?
90%
2/3 of calves from cow-calf operations are sold after weaning and go where?
feeder calves - go to backgrounding or stocker operations
what percentage of cow calf operations act as primary source of income for producers?
15.8%
which operations tend to use more technology?
large operations
overall, which technologies are most utilized?
palpation and semen evaluation
what is the overall goal of cow calf operations?
maximize number of calves sold
what is dressing percent?
term for carcass weight after slaughter (hot carcass/live weight)
what percentage does dressing percent decrease after chilling?
2-4%
what is the calving interval for beef cow?
365 days
what % cows in heat by 60 days post calving?
80%
what is the calf weaning weight for beef cows?
40-50% of cow’s weight
what is the length of the breeding season for beef?
65 days for cows
when do cows resume estrus cycles?
40-60 days post calving
cows need to be pregnant within how many days post calving to maintain 365 d calving interval?
80 days
what is the length of estrus cycle for beef cattle?
21 days - 3 chances to get pregnant within 65 day breeding season
what should the weaning weight of beef calves be?
50% of cow’s BW
why did cattle and calf inventory drop in 2004
BSE scare
why did cattle and calf inventory drop in 2014?
drought in SW US
what is the average age at weaning?
180 days (6 months)
what is the goal of backgrounding or stocker calves?
grow feeder cattle to weight for entering feedlot
