Cattle Flashcards
(97 cards)
1
Q
Herd
A
Group of Cattle
2
Q
Polled
A
Naturally hornless; a dominant gene.
3
Q
Horned
A
Has horns.
4
Q
Bull
A
Sexually mature; non castrated male bovine.
5
Q
Steer
A
Castrated male bovine.
6
Q
Calf
A
Sexually immature young bovine.
7
Q
Cow
A
Mature female bovine, at least one calf.
8
Q
Heifer
A
Young female bovine who has not yet had a calf.
9
Q
Bull Calf
A
Young male, sexually immature.
10
Q
Heifer Calf
A
Young female, sexually immature.
11
Q
When was cattle first introduced to North America?
A
1519–Cortez introduced cattle to Mexico.
12
Q
What occurrence happens within the beef cattle industry consistently since the late 1800s?
A
Fluctuations in the number of beef cattle; increase in the number of cattle–peak hitting at 5 years–and then reductions; historic fluctuation of number of beef cattle in the industry.
13
Q
Which state has the most beef cattle in the United States?
A
Texas, with 12.5 million beef cattle & 4.5 million beef calves.
14
Q
Which state has the least number of beef cattle?
A
Rhode Island.
15
Q
What do seedstock producers do?
A
They produce breeding stock.
16
Q
What do cow-calf producers do?
A
They produce crossbred calves for slaughter–to create offspring.
17
Q
What does culling refer to?
A
To remove rejected members from a herd.
18
Q
What do stocker operations do?
A
They grow calves to heavier weights on low priced forage.
19
Q
What are feedlots?
A
They finish cattle to market weight & condition–there is grass finish & grain finish.
20
Q
What structure slaughters & processes the carcasses of the beef cattle?
A
The packers.
21
Q
Describe the physical traits of Bos Taurus that differentiates it from the Bos indicus:
A
No hump, rounded ears, short & wide head, tight & thick skin, large amounts of subcutaneous fat, wide & outstanding hip bones, short legs & slow moving, hair prone to cattle ticks, fast maturing.
22
Q
Describe the physical traits of the Bos indicus that differentiates it from the Bos taurus:
A
Hump, long drooping ears, comparatively long head, very loose & thin skin, little subcutaneous fat, narrow & angular hip bones, long legs & faster moving, hair less prone to cattle ticks, slow maturing.
23
Q
Where do British breeds of cattle originate from, and what are some traits?
A
They originated in the UK.
Smaller in mature size, reach mature size earlier, has less growth potential, fertility & calve easily, high grades of meat.
24
Q
Where are continental European breeds from? What are they referred to as? What are some traits?
A
They are from the European continent (i.e. Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, etc…)
They are also referred to as exotic breeds, and they are larger in mature size, reach mature size later, have more growth potential, have calving difficulties when crossed with British breeds, and have lower grades of meat.
25
What is the Hereford cow, and describe some of its characteristics:
It is red & white in coloration.
- Can be polled or horned
- British breed
- white hair that travels through the abdomen=main indicator
25
Describe the phenome of an Angus, and some of its characteristics:
Black or red. Black is dominant and red is recessive. It is the most popular beef breed within the United States.
- British Breed
- Polled
- Bos Taurus
26
Describe the characteristics of a Highland cow:
Red, black, yellow, dun, white, brindle & silver coloration.
- British breed
- Horned
- Double hair coat
26
Describe the Simmental breed:
Red & white or black coloration.
- Continental European Breed
- horned or polled
26
Describe the Chianina breed:
White or grey coloration--gray pigment because of black skin.
- Continental European breed
- horned--short horns, more forward
- terminal breed--stops at meat production
26
Describe the Charolais cow:
White, cream, or straw coloration.
- continental European breed
- horned
26
Describe the Gelbvieh Cow:
Red coloration, known also as the yellow cow, however.
- continental European breed
- mostly polled
27
Describe the Salers breed:
Red coloration (completely red)
- Continental European Breed
28
Describe the Maine Anjou Breed:
Red or black coloration--some white as well.
- Continental European breed
29
Describe the Belgian Blue breed:
White, blue roan, or black coloration.
- continental European breed
- "double muscled"--mutation in myostatin inhibiting muscle development to stop
30
Describe the Texas Longhorn breed:
It is a specialty breed, not continental European or British breed
- distinct horns that are long, & kept as Texas identity.
31
Describe the Brahman:
It is Bos indicus breed, light gray to black or red in coloration.
- it is insect, disease, & heat tolerant, making it popular for crossbreeding (interspecific hybridization)
32
What is a common form of cattle identification where a tag is placed in the flexible portion of the ear? What are its pros and cons?
The Ear tag--
Pros: it is cheap & easy to read
Cons: risk of infection; could be loosened or be torn off the ear
33
Describe a ruminants oral cavity:
Dental pad--missing upper incisors; utilize tongues to carry grass into their mouth.
34
What is partially digested food regurgitated by ruminants into their mouth for rechewing called?
Cud chewing.
35
What is dental care for animals called, and what do they do?
Floating--shaving the teeth down if growth is constant.
36
What is the role of the Rumen, and what are some of its notable characteristics?
Largest stomach compartment; contains microorganisms that digest cellulose. It is the main site of microbial fermentation, and its end product is volatile fatty acids--converts cellulose into glucose in the liver via VFAs.
37
What is rumination?
The process where cud of the rumen is regurgitated, remasticated, & reswallowed for further digestion.
38
What is eructation?
The removal of gas from the rumen via esophagus through the act of belching.
39
What is the reticulum, and what is it also referred to as?
From the rumen, the cud goes into the reticulum. Also known as the Honeycomb or hardware stomach. It aids in microbial fermentation.
40
What is the Omasum and what is it also referred to as?
Also known as Many Plies or Stockman's Bible. It is the main site of water, electrolyte, & VFA absorption.
41
What is the abomasum?
It is the glandular stomach, in which chemical digestion occurs--chemical breakdown of feed occurs.
42
What is the esophageal groove?
The reticular or esophageal groove is a fold of tissue that allows milk to bypass the rumen & enter the abomasum because milk can damage the rumen.
43
What is the beef cattle diet?
Pastures, consisting of grasses, legumes, & other forages; supplemented with concentrates when they require more energy than what can be obtained by forages. (i.e. corn, wheat, etc...)
44
What is a pen constructed to keep large animals out while permitting young animals to enter & obtain feed?
Creep feeders.
45
What is the bull's reproductive anatomy?
Testes--sperm production=temperature dependent
- testes develop in the abdomen & descend into the scrotum during fetal development.
46
What is it referred to when one or both of the testes do not descend into the scrotum?
Cryptorchidism. Bilateral crytorchid will exhibit secondary sex characteristics of a normal male but is generally infertile.
47
What does the scrotum do?
It protects, & maintains the proper temperature of the testes.
48
Describe the penis of a bull:
- fibroelastic penis
- contains connective tissue & elastic fibers allowing an increase in length during copulation
- glans penis
- sheath--the skin that conceals the peni
49
Describe a cow's reproductive anatomy:
- ovary produces eggs which are contained within a follicle
- a cow has an almond-shaped ovary
- when egg is released from the follicle it is captured by the oviduct
- oviduct consists of ampulla & isthmus, where ampulla & isthmus connect is considered the site of fertilization
- embryo remains in the oviduct for about 3-6 days & then moves into the uterus
50
What is a cow's reproductive cycle?
Estrous cycle is 21 days, and they are polyestrous.
- ovulation is spontaneous
51
What are a cow's sign of estrus?
- standing to be mounted
52
What is the role of the placenta?
It is the organ that surrounds the fetus & attaches to the female uterus during pregnancy.
- produces progesterone.
53
What is a cow's length of gestation?
274 to 291 days
54
What is dystocia?
It indicates to a birthing difficulty, associated with improper positioning.
55
What are some diseases in beef cattle?
- Bovine respiratory disease
- blackleg
- Bloat
- ringworm
- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy--BSE or Mad Cow Disease, a progressive, neurologic disease
56
What is bloat, and what are the two types, as well as its causes?
Bloat is the excessive accumulation of gas within the rumen.
- gassy bloat is when the esophagus is obstructed by an object or when the animal cannot belch.
- frothy bloat--caused by rapid fermentation of feed in the rumen which produces too much gas. A foam is produced, which increases the viscosity of the rumen fluid which prevents formation of free gas.
A cause is too much green legume grass.
57
What are some genetic improvements made to cattle?
Production performance--gaining more weight on less feed.
End product quality.
57
What is the biological process of cattle?
Time from conception to market is 26 months. The gestation phase is the longest.
58
What are the industry stages of cattle?
Cow-calf production; growing production; finishing production.
59
What were the advertising campaigns for cattle?
1988--"beef. real food for real people"
1992--"beef. it's what's for dinner."
2008--"powerful beefscapes"
60
What is pasteurization?
controlled heating of a product to kill microorganisms; sterilization, increases shelf life & reduces risks.
61
Which state houses the most dairy cattle?
California
62
What are the characteristics of the Ayreshire?
Red & white coloration (patchy red & whit ecoloration)
63
What are the characteristics of the Brown Swiss?
Brown, black, grey, or white coloration. Horns are usually removed.
64
What are the characteristics of the Guernsey?
Tan or brown coloration; more red associated with fur compared to Ayrshire.
65
What are the characteristics of a Holstein?
Black & white coloration. Most popular dairy breed. Horned.
66
What are the characteristics of a Jersey cow?
Second most popular breed. Tan to brown coloration. 4.8% milk fat; has the highest milk fat percentage. Black nose, black hooves, & black tail switch. Funnel butt.
67
What are the characteristics of a Milking Shorthorn?
Red, white, or roan coloration. Lowest milk fat percentage with 3.6 % milk fat.
68
What are the characteristics of a red & white Holstein?
Red & white coloration, Holstein cows, but carries the recessive red coloration.
69
What are some forms of identification specific for dairy cattle?
Neck chains & collars, Electronic Identification, leg bands.
70
What is an important supplement for dairy cattle?
Vitamin/mineral supplements, especially calcium.
71
What is lactation?
The process of producing milk; lactation is the most demanding nutritional need of all the production functions in mature animals.
72
What is colostrum?
First milk given by the mother after birth of the young which is high in proteins, vitamins, minerals & antibody concentrations. A form of passive immunity. The more diseases the mother has been exposed to or vaccinated against, or had the disease, the more antibodies the young gain from the colostrum.
73
What is a dry cow?
A female dairy cow that has previously lactated but who is not currently producing milk.
74
What is the dry period of a dairy cow indicate?
When a lactating dairy cow stops getting milked & is allowed 60 days to gain back weight that may have been lost during lactations.
75
What is a fresh cow?
A dairy cow that has recently calved.
76
What is weaning?
The process of transitioning a calf away from a diet containing milk or milk replacers to an all-solid feed diet or ration
77
Where do bull calves and heifer calves go to?
Bull calves go to veal production.
Heifer calves go to heifer ranches.
78
What is the withdrawal period?
The period that is required to elapse following the administration of an approved animal drug before the milk can be sold for human consumption & the animal can be harvested for meat.
79
What is dry cow treatment?
It is an intramammary antibiotic administered into each teat during dry period.
80
What is lactating cow treatment?
It is intramammary antibiotic designed for use during lactation.
81
What is teat sealant?
It is paste infused into the end of each teat during dry period to prevent infectious agents from entering.
82
What is the voluntary waiting period?
2 to 3 month period following calving before a cow is rebred allowing the reproductive tract to recover.
83
How many cycles does a dairy cattle have?
3 to 5 cycles, every 13 months, cows birth a calf.
84
What is the most common method of reproduction in the dairy cattle industry?
Artificial Insemination.
85
What is estrous synchronization, and what does it do?
It is when drugs are given to females to synchronize estrous cycles among several females. It is used to combat errors in estrous detection & minimize labor involved in artificial insemination by having several females come into estrus around the same time.
86
What is embryo transfer?
It is the process of nonsurgical collection of fertilized embryos from one female & placing them in another for further development. It is done via surgery, and it allows for genetically superior calves.
87
What reproductive failure causes sterility?
Cryptorchidism, or malformed penis in males.
An absence of ovaries or hormonal imbalance. Freemartin--a condition with twin calves of opposite sex where the female calf's reproductive tract does not develop completely.
88
What is veal? What are the types of veal?
Veal is meat from a calf or young beef animals.
- 'Bob' veal
- 'special fed' veal
- grain-fed veal
- rose veal
89
What are the major areas of economic importance in dairy cows?
Milk yield
Milk composition
Replacement animals
Cow longevity
90
What are the dominant and recessive traits of cattle?
Dominant:
- black hair coat
- polled
- white face
- cloven hoof
- Dutch belted
Recessive:
- red hair coat
- horned
- solid color
- mule foot
- non-belted
91
What are the dairy cattle diseases?
Mastitis--inflammation of the udder--causes are bacterial infection--treatment--NSAIDS--prevention (clean environment, udder disinfection & hygiene, regular testing & maintenance)
Milk fever--Hypocalcemia--sudden loss of blood calcium when milk production begins
Displaced abomasum--when abomasum is loosely attached to other abdominal organs
Johne's Disease--contagious intestinal infection that decreases milk yield & can lead to death--caused by bacterium--no effective treatment
Hardware Disease--objects remain in the reticulum & can cause infection or damage to the stomach or other organs--ingestion of magnet & systemic antibiotics
