Beef Production Medicine

Question 1

what are advantages of beef cattle?

Answer 1

convert unusable substances to human food
graze on ground that cannot be used for farming
use by-products
does not compete with humans for grain

Question 2

how long is the cattle cycle?

Answer 2

8-12 years

Question 3

define the cattle cycle

Answer 3

cattle producers’ decision to grow and decrease their herd size

Question 4

what’s the cattle cycle affected by?

Answer 4

cattle prices
input costs
gestation period
time needed to raise calf to market weight
climates

Question 5

what are the two sectors of beef cattle production?

Answer 5

cow-calf
fed-cattle

Question 6

describe the cow-calf production of beef cattle

Answer 6

herd of beef cows, raising calves until weaning
some bulls/heifers may stay in herd, feedlot, sold to producers
require range/pasture forage

Question 7

describe the fed-cattle production of beef

Answer 7

grain fed beef
steers and heifers from cow-calf = slaughter
*stocker, preconditioning, backgrounding
feedlot

Question 8

what’s the ideal BCS for a breeding heifer?

Answer 8

6/9

Question 9

what percent of mature BW do you breed a heifer?

Answer 9

65% mature BW
(715-845 lbs)

Question 10

what percent of mature BW do you want a heifer to be at time of calving?

Answer 10

85% BW

Question 11

how many calves is ideal for a female to calve out in her lifetime?

Answer 11

~7 calves

Question 12

when is calving season?

Answer 12

spring +/- fall

Question 13

list some challenges that occur during calving season

Answer 13

dystocia
neonate loss

Question 14

what’s the stocker program?

Answer 14

graze on grass for 3-4 months post-weaning
cheap gains
generally then sold as a group at heavier weight to feedlots

Question 15

what’s the preconditioning program?

Answer 15

30-60 days
deworm/dehome/vaccines/castrate
all prior to feedlot

Question 16

what’s the backgrounder program?

Answer 16

90-120 days
pens, lots and fed dry forage, grain in feed bunks

Question 17

what happens at feedlots?

Answer 17

vaccine, deworm, castrate, anabolic implants, ID
records
get animal ready for harvest

Question 18

what’s implanted into beef cattle once at feedlot?

Answer 18

anabolic implant
helps increase ADG

Question 19

what’s the MOST common health issue seen at feedlots?

Answer 19

respiratory issues

Question 20

where do most beef cattle expenses come from?

Answer 20

FEED
labor
care

Question 21

describe where the captive bolt should be placed for proper slaughter of beef?

Answer 21

Question 22

describe beef grading system

Answer 22