Cows Flashcards
When must a cow have an ear tag?
36 hours old
2 by 20 days
How much do calves grow?
Dairy - 0.7kg/day
Beef - 1.3kg/day
What happens to milk inside the calf?
Goes into abomasum and forms a brick due to rennin
When should a calf be weaned?
When its eating over 1.25kg of concentrate a day
Usually 6 to 8 weeks
Which nerve is blocked during disbudding?
Cornual nerve
What are the 3 ways of castrating?
Rubber ring - up to 7 days old
Burdizzo
Surgical - must be done by a vet after 2 months
How much is a male dairy calf?
£30
How much is a dairy cross worth?
£175
What are the three main beef rearing systems?
Intensive - 12-14 months
Semi-intensive - 15-20 months
Extensive - >20 months
What does maturing mean?
The age when they start laying down fat instead of muscle
What does steer mean?
Uncastrated male
What does late maturing mean?
Faster growing and can grow to heavier weights before laying down fat
What breeds are early maturing?
Traditional breeds - aberdeen angus, shorthorn, hereford
What breeds are late maturing?
Holstein Friesian and continental
What’s the difference between Holstein and Friesian?
Friesian are squat, hardy and dont produce much milk
Holsteins are the opposite - racehorses
