Beef Production Systems Flashcards
What is the average time from breeding until a cow becomes a food product for consumers?
24-36months
How has the amount of beef produced per brood cow changed in the last 60 years?
The average amount of beef per brood cow is 800lbs, compared to 500lbs back in the 50’s.
What are the industry segments in beef production?
Seed-stock Commercial cow-calf Shocker/backgrounder Feedlot Packer Consumer, Export, import
What is a seed-stock operation?
Purebred or registered cattle breeder
Sell breeding animals, semen, and embryos to commercial cow-calf producers
Genetics driven
What is a commercial cow-calf operation?
Breeding cows producing new calves
What is the average annual foster per cow?
$377
Calves are kept from birth until weaning
A cow her need to contain at least ______ head of cattle to be considered and economic unit
300
What is the purpose of stocker operations?
Take light calves that are weaned and grow them to feedlot weight
What is the average time a cow is kept in a stocker operation?
45days
Why is a stocker operation a segment of beef production that carries a lot of risk?
Cows are just recently weaned
Stress of travel
New environment/feed
Herd
Risk for disease
*most operations should involve a consulting vet: receiving protocols, flow schemes, sick calf management
What is the proper stocking rate?
2cows /acre
Can vary based on land/forage, market, time of year etc
What is the average feedlot capacity?
5100 head
When are cattle on feedlots most expensive and most cheap?
May— cheap (many cattle on the feedlot)
Aug/Sept — expensive (fewest amount of cattle on the lot)
Most cattle are on feed through Jun and July
Supply and demand!!
During what months are is there the highest percent of cows on feed over 90 days and over 12days?
90days— March
120days — March /April
T/F: Roughly 80% of the annually harvested catted are fed steers and heifers
True
Packers prefer carcasses that weigh how much?
65-800lbs
Helps with food safety, lower labor cost, and improve consistency
Who does a packer sell meat to?
Purveyor: makes changes to the cuts — selling to food service industry
Distributors: sell to retailers without altering cuts
Consumers
What do consumers want inform their meat products?
Complete meal: beef and sides on one plate
Convenience: easy and fast
Smaller size: portion size/family size is decreasing
Consistency !
What re the main export markets for US beef?
Mexico South Korea Canada Middle East Japan
How much beef is imported to the US?
3 billion lbs (Australia, Canada, New Zealand)
Exports make up ____% of the beef value and _______% of the beef volume since 2010
47; 25
Which one of these is not part of herd health?
A. Vaccinating a group of animals
B. Appropriate management/husbandry to improve overall health
C. Investigating a recognized trend in decreased herd productivity
D. Production management and risk management
All of these are part of herd health.
Sorry for the trick question
Why is record keeping important in herd health.?
Indicate changes in herd and individual production
Can provide information on cow-line performances
Indicate loss of efficacy of antibiotics or vaccines
Assess target points and action points
What I s the 6 “F” vaccine rule?
Frequent dz — why vaccinate if no one gets it?
eFfective — why would you use a vaccine that doesn’t work?
Functional and practical — just duh
Financially sound — does the vaccine cost more than treating the dz? (Eg Anaplasma is cheaper to treat than to vaccinate if it is rare in your area)
Federal mandates — well you should probably follow these (eg Brucellosis)
Fatal dz — probably don’t want your cows to die
T/F: you are getting just as tired of studying these cards as I am making them
True
What do you have to take into account when concidering biosecurity and herd health?
Neighbors (how close are they, do they have nasty cows? Ew)
Closed herd
Replacements
Cull truck/ rendering truck/ feed trucks/ milk trucks /grain trucks/livestock trucks (basically vehicles — where have they been prior to your farm?)
Employees / visitors(because people are gross)
What is the main underlying caused of poor herd health
Poor management/husbandry
Lameness can be associated with what management issues?
Nutrition
Footing
Genetics
Poor reproduction can be associated with what management issues?
Nutrition
Heat
Lameness
Displaced abomasum can be associated with what management issues
Nutrition
Lameness
RFM/metritis
