Final Flashcards
How many cows are in the “average” beef cow-calf herd in the United States?
44 cows
About how much of the total beef slaughter capacity is accounted for across the largest 4 packing companies?
88%
What is the capacity of the most common type of feedlots in the United States?
Less than 1000 head accounts for 2/3rd of the feedlots in the U.S.
What is the capacity of feedlots that account for the majority of cattle fed for slaughter?
Greater than 50,000
Define a stocker operation.
Stocker operations are operations where recently weaned calves are grazing pasture in order to increase their growth prior to sending them to finishing and slaughter.
Where are the majority of calves born in Missouri fed and slaughtered?
Out of state
Why does the “slide” exist?
The “price slide” occurs because cost of gain is less than the value of additional gain.
How many USDA thickness scores are used to grade feeder cattle and what score is the most desirable?
There are four USDA thickness scores used to grade feeder cattle and the score of 1 is most desirable.
Why are feeders heifers commonly sold at a discount relative to steers?
Feeder heifers are sold at a discount because heifers don’t get as big as steers, but they do weigh as much as a steer at a market. This means they have less potential of gain because a heifer’s mature body size is 100 pounds less than her steer counterpart. Thus, there is less overall gain available in a heifer then there is in a steer.
What are the USDA frame scores used in grading feeder cattle?
The USDA frame scores used in grading feeder cattle are large (premium), medium, and small.
What does the number of days per year feeding hay in a cow calf management system reflect?
An increase in the number of days feeding hay per year is the measurement of the relationship between forage productivity and forage demand of your cow herd.
How does mature cow body weight appear to influence 205 day calf weaning weight.
Cow body weight is not correlated with calf weaning weight.
What is harvest efficiency or forage utilization rate?
The proportion of feed harvested from your pastures that actually ends up in your cows mouth.
Generally, feeding hay compared to allowing cattle to continuously graze the same amount of forage from pasture cost about:
150% more
What are two examples of measures that can be used to determine productivity in a cow-calf management system?
1) . Pounds of calf/weaning weight
2) . Weaning weight as a percent of cow body mass
Illustrate the seasonal relationship between cow and intake requirements and forage production in a tall fescue system in the figure below. Clearly label each axis and lines
Image on phone
Describe how competition for feed influences diet selection among cows housed in a grazing system.
Increased competition decreases diet selectivity among the cows.
Decreased competition increases diet selectivity among the cows.
What is a realistic range in harvest efficiency among cows grazing pasture? Describe how one could influence harvest efficiency in grazing cows.
A realistic range in harvest efficiency among cows grazing pasture is 60 to 70%. A way to increase harvest efficiency in grazing cows is by implementing better grazing management practices.
What weight target expressed as a percent of mature body weight is a common goal for replacement heifers developed in intensive management systems?
65%
How does failing to obtain a pregnancy early in the breeding season impact a replacement heifers longevity within a herd?
if a replacement heifer fails to obtain a pregnancy early in the breeding season, it will decrease her longevity within a herd.
How does failing to obtain a pregnancy early in the breeding season impact performance of progeny born to replacement heifers?
Calves that are born earlier in the breeding season are heavier at weaning. Thus, by failing to obtain a pregnancy early in the breeding season it decreases the performance of progeny born to replacement heifers because they will be smaller at weaning.
How does extensive vs. intensive development of heifers influence pregnancy rate in replacement heifers?
The extensive vs intensive development of heifers does not have much of an influence on pregnancy rate in replacement heifers. The percentage difference between the pregnancy rate on a drylot (intensive) versus a range (extensive) was only 2%.
How are heifers commonly selected for development as replacements in intensive vs. extensive heifer development programs?
With intensive development they are maximizing probability of pregnancy in every heifer deemed worthy. In this case, it is the producers phenotypically selecting the biggest and the prettiest replacement heifers. Then, they do everything they can to get as many pregnant as possible. In contrast, with extensive development it is a systems approach in which the bulls and the environment will select better heifers than the producers. In this case, the producers are going to keep more of the replacement heifers around, develop them all, and let the bulls and the environment select them. The replacement heifers that become pregnant are the ones being selected.
Match each factor with the number that most closely reflects the percent it impacts profit in fed cattle.
Feeder Price
Feed Conversion
Corn Price / Feed Price
Fed Price
34%
6%
10%
42%