Bovine Flashcards
bovine family
bovidae
bovine genus/species
bos taurus (british and european) and bos indicus (tropical humped)
what type of hoofs do bovine have?
artiodactyls
cloven hoofed
beef cattle characteristics
broader, heavier set bodies with shorter neck/legs
Holstein breed characteristics
largest dairy breed, produces the greatest amount of milk
how long do dairy breeds usually produce milk for?
5-6 years but can sometimes go up to 20 years
agriculture production
old industry, played an important role in development of western US
challenges of agriculture production
environmental concerns, EPA initiatives, COOL
COOL
Country of Origin Labeling
beef and pork are exempt
BLM
Bureau of Land Management
administers and manages livestock grazing on 155 million acres of public land
done with leases and permits
calf
< 1 year old
bull
intact male of any age
heifer
female cattle prior to having first calf
cow
female after calving
steer
castrated male
free-martin
sterile female calf from inbreeding
stocker
yearling cattle grown on grass after weaning and prior to entering feedlot
gomer
vasectomized male used for estrus detection
seed stock
purebred breeders who are registered with pedigrees and estimated merit
where does cow-calf production mostly occur?
in western states and upper great plains where crops aren’t as productive
what is cow-calf production?
breeding and selling the calves produced
bovine puberty
7-10 months
bovine gestation
9 months
bovine calving for cow-calf production
every 12 months
bred 60 days postpartum
what does artificial insemination facilitate?
facilitates rapid genetic improvement by allowing use of only top bulls
electroejaculation
alternative method used with bulls that can’t mount or are too fractious for handling
semen is collected by massage of seminal vesicles by rectum
artificial vagina
has warmth and some mechanical ability to stimulate ejaculation
how is semen collection via AV performed?
using 3 people: 1 to handle teaser animal (usually a steer), 1 to control bull, and 1 to collect semen
high level of sanitation is needed
semen stored in nitrogen tank: straws are thawed 15 minutes prior to insemination
how much do calves weigh when they are born?
40-120 lbs
how much weight will calves gain per day until weaned?
1.5-2.5 lbs
how long do calves nurse out on the pasture?
4-6 months
which season is most common for calving?
spring
ideal finished weight
1250-1300 lbs
how much weight is made up of “dressings”?
59-63%
what age is the goal for having slaughter claves to the market?
13-16 months
stocker operation
operations that feed calves post-weaning on forage-based diets prior to calves entering feedlot
what is the process stocker operations go through to obtain calves, feed, and sell?
they look for bargain cattle, put weight on them, and then sell to feedlot to finish
focus on bone and muscle growth, immune system development, efficient weight gains on primarily forage diet
what is the process for cattle going to a feedlot after being at a stocker operation?
most enter the feedlot at around 700-800 lbs and about 1 year old
they receive vaccinations, ear tags, and start eating a high forage diet, then slowly they are transitioned to 75-85% concentrates, they will remain on feed for about 3-4 months
when does lactation peak?
around 3 months and then rapidly decreases
most calves nurse up to 6 months
traditional method of weaning
separate calves from view of the mother
low stress newer method of weaning
separation by fence but still visible
another method can be to use a device that prevents suckling but still allows contact and eating/drinking
creep feed can also help with weaning so calves can learn to eat without mom’s help
anti-suckling device
placed on calves at same time as pre-weaning vaccines are given (~ 2 weeks before)
make sure no ridges are present on the part of the device that could irritate the nose
take out when boostering 3 weeks later
British breed characteristics
usually better for calving ease and fertility
Continental breed characteristics
aka exotic breed
known for fast growth and being leaner
Angus
beef breed
polled, from Britain, black and red
females known for calving ease, fertility, mothering ability
carcass quality always high
Hereford
beef breed
British breed, red body with white face, most common in US
hardy and able to reproduce in harsh range conditions and have calm temperment
Charolais
beef breed
french, large framed, heavy, white or creamy white in color
hair coat usually short in summer but thickens/lengthens in cold weather
unique for double muscling: mutation that causes increased muscle fibers
what is the breed grouping used in the South?
the “American” breeds aka eared cattle
ex: Brahmans and hybrids of Brahmans Santa Gertudis
known for heat tolerance
cattle identification
hide brands: with hot iron or freeze branding
ear marks: cropping, notching, ear tags, ear tattoos
which form of permanent identification is the most common?
tattoos
usually only registered cattle will get ID’ed
veal
soft pale meat obtained from young calves, usually bull calves
veal production
keeping calves in individual housing until slaughter, often tethered so they can’t grow muscles
fed a milk-replacer diet so they don’t develop a rumen
their diet is purposefully iron deficient to get the pale color on the meat
hardware disease
aka traumatic reticulitis
foreign objects like wire, nails, pins, etc collect in the reticulum
these objects can puncture the wall of the reticulum which can cause infection/damage to the heart and other organs
non-specific CS
can give a magnet which sits in reticulum to safely collect objects so they won’t penetrate all the way through
anthrax (cause, basic definition, transmission)
caused by large spore-forming rectangular shaped bacterium called Bacillus anthracis
zoonotic, USDA reportable
all mammals susceptible but mostly ruminants and humans
usually acquired from contaminated soil or feed
what do you do when an animal has anthrax?
carcasses need to be disposed properly and premises quarantined until all animals vaccinated
if at all suspected no cuts should be made into animal
anthrax CS
1st sign: sudden death
acute infections: high fever, sudden staggering, hard breathing, trembling, collapse
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
aka mad cow
USDA reportable
chronic degenerative disease that affects CNS
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) CS
nervousness, aggression, muscle twitching, abnormal posture, loss of body weight, decreased milk production, difficulty standing up after laying down
BSE treatment
no treatment
eventually animals affected will die
cull the whole herd
how is BSE contracted?
ingesting protein from an animal protein source
blackleg
caused by Clostridium Chauvoei: spore forming anaerobic bacteria which grows deep in a wound without oxygen
common in young cattle
cause of death in these animals: acute toxemia
course of disease: 12-48 hours
common in summer
blackleg CS
often absent but may see lameness, tachycardia, fever, anorexia, rumen stasis, lethargy
blackleg treatment and prevention
tx: massive doses of antibiotics
calves vaccinated young and again at weaning
what causes white muscle?
selenium and vitamin E deficiency
white muscle (dz)
degenerative muscle disease
all large animals can be affected
usually young animals
what is selenium deficiency associated with?
deficient soils and inadequate uptake by forages in these soils
what does vitamin E deficiency reflect?
reflects forage quality
white muscle CS
progressive paralysis (affects skeletal muscles)
back arched, open-shouldered appearance, forelimbs spread excessively
white muscle treatment
selenium and vitamin E injections
wooden tongue
disease of the soft tissue in the mouth region
caused by actinobacillus sp (part of normal flora in upper digestive tract), the bacteria invade the skin through a wound or minor trauma
wooden tongue CS
bottlejaw, inability to eat/drink, drooling, rapid loss of condition, painful and swollen tongue, tongue ulcers
if becomes chronic fibrous tissue is deposited and tongue becomes shrunken and immobile
wooden tongue treatment
begin early!!
iodine therapy, tetracyclines
advanced cases may require surgical drainage and irrigation with iodine solution
Johne’s disease
affects all ruminants
contagious, chronic, usually fatal infection, usually affects small intestine
cause by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (hardy bacteria related to agents of leprosy TB)
cattle most susceptible < 1 year old
Johne’s disease in cattle CS
weight loss with normal appetite, diarrhea, after a few weeks there will be soft swelling under jaw
bottlejaw is due to protein loss from bloodstream into digestive tract
at bottlejaw stage animals live a few more weeks at most
Johne’s disease in sheep/goats CS
harder to spot, intestines become thick and less efficient, they continue to eat but lose weight and waste away
up to 70% of sheep can have it subclinically
how are animals infected with Johne’s disease?
by swallowing small amounts of infected manure from calving environment, udder, in utero, or by swallowing bacteria passed in milk/colostrum
brucellosis
all ruminants can be affected
USDA reportable
zoonotic
vaccinate!!
very contagious
caused by Brucella abortus
brucellosis CS
spontaneous abortion, stillborn
how is brucellosis transmitted to humans?
through infected meat or placenta of infected animals, eating/drinking unpasteurized milk/cheese
brucellosis treatment and prevention
quarantine infected herds
prevent with good sanitation and biosecurity
infectious keratoconjunctivitis (KCS)
aka pinkeye
most common in summer
need underlying irritation to cause: flies, UV light, grass, dust
IBR virus or mycoplasma can predispose to pinkeye
KCS CS
excessive tearing, conjunctivitis, photophobia, corneal ulcers
pinkeye causes then vs now
pinkeye used to refer to eye lesions caused by Moraxella bovis but now pinkeye can be other types of Moraxellae too so it is called pinkeye based on symptoms not cause
KCS prevention
fly and dust control, pasture management
bloat
excessive gas accumulation in rumen
pasture bloat: wheat pasture, lush legumes or being fed green-chopped legumes
feedlot (dry) bloat: fed high-grain rations that may contain legume forage, often occurs secondary to acidosis and/or rumenitis, but could also occur from grain portion being ground too finely
bloat CS
distension of left side, stomping feet (discomfort), labored breathing, frequent urination and defecation, sudden collapse
