Industry Structure

Question 1

How long is it from breeding to calving?

Answer 1

9.5 months.

Question 2

How long is it from calving to weaning?

Answer 2

6-8 months.

Question 3

How long is it from weaning to harvest?

Answer 3

5-18 months.

Question 4

What is the order of beef infrastructure from earliest step to latest step?

Answer 4

1. Seedstock.
2. Commercial cow-calf.
3. Stocker.
4. Feedlot.
5. Packer.
6. Purveyor and distributor.
7. Retailer.
8. Consumer.

Question 5

What % of the calves from a seedstock operation are purebred?

Answer 5

16.

Question 6

What is a seedstock really?

Answer 6

A specialized cow-calf operation.

Question 7

What is a seedstock operation also called?

Answer 7

1. Purebred breeders.
2. Registered breeders.

Question 8

What is the purpose of a seedstock operation?

Answer 8

Provide genetic material (breeding animals, semen, embryos) used by commercial cow-calf producers.

Question 9

What area do most seedstock operations sell breeding animals to?

Answer 9

Within 100-150 miles of the operation.

Question 10

How many cows are in the majority of most seedstock herds?

Answer 10

<50.

Question 11

How many cows are needed to consider being a full-time seedstock operation?

Answer 11

300+.

Question 12

What source of income is seedstock for most operations, primary or secondary?

Answer 12

Secondary.

Question 13

What are the 2 main focuses of a cow-calf operation?

Answer 13

1. To maintain cow herds.
2. Raise calves from birth to weaning.

Question 14

When are most calves born?

Answer 14

February-April.

Question 15

Why are most calves born during these 3 months?

Answer 15

The dams are pregnant the rest of the year or it is too cold for them to be safely born.

Question 16

In what area of the U.S. is year-round production possible?

Answer 16

The South.

Question 17

How old are calves when they are weaned?

Answer 17

5-10 months.

Question 18

How much do calves weigh at weaning?

Answer 18

300-600 lbs.

Question 19

What pattern do beef industry prices tend to follow?

Answer 19

Rises and falls with supply and demand.

Question 20

Where are the concentration of beef cattle in the United States?

Answer 20

Texas and Tornado Alley. California too.

Question 21

What is the focus of a backgrounder?

Answer 21

Take calves that are close or at 600 lbs and feed them to 800 lbs in 30-60 days before shipping them off to the feedlot.

Question 22

What is the focus of stockers?

Answer 22

Take low-end and average weaning weight calves and add weight to them progressively using forages until they reach feedlot weight.

Question 23

Why are forages used?

Answer 23

They are low cost for high gain.

Question 24

What kind of forages are used by stockers?

Answer 24

Winter annual forages, like wheat, oat, winter barley.

Question 25

What is the focus of feedlots?

Answer 25

To confine cattle to one area and feed them a high energy diet to increase meat palatability.

Question 26

What are feedlots built around?

Answer 26

Adequately sized feed mills.

Question 27

What 3 meat characteristics change during the feedlot step?

Answer 27

1. Flavor. 2. Juiciness. 3. Tenderness.

Question 28

What color does the fat turn to in the feedlot?

Answer 28

Yellow to white.

Question 29

How long does the fat color change take?

Answer 29

60-90 days.

Question 30

How long are cattle in the feedlot?

Answer 30

90-200 days (avg. 187).

Question 31

How many head of cattle do most feedlots contain?

Answer 31

<1000 (small size).

Question 32

What size feedlot are most cattle fed in?

Answer 32

Large (>24,000 head).

Question 33

What is a CAFO?

Answer 33

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation.

Question 34

What makes something a CAFO?

Answer 34

When animals are confined for 45+ days in an area with little vegetation and fed.

Question 35

What is a small CAFO?

Answer 35

<300 animals.

Question 36

What is a medium CAFO?

Answer 36

300-1000 animals.

Question 37

What is a large CAFO?

Answer 37

>1000 animals.

Question 38

Where are the majority of feedlots?

Answer 38

Midwest and Texas Panhandle.

Question 39

Why are the majority of feedlots located where they are located?

Answer 39

Less mud, Close to grain.

Question 40

What are 2 disadvantage of grass-fed beef?

Answer 40

1. Grows slower (20-30 months to reach same weight). 2. Smaller overall.

Question 41

What is the flavor description of grass-fed beef?

Answer 41

Gamier. *Higher quality grass, more mild flavor.

Question 42

What is cull cow feeding?

Answer 42

Buying a cow for cheap and fattening them up to sell them for a higher price.

Question 43

How many lbs. does an animal need to gain to increase one body condition score?

Answer 43

75.

Question 44

What is the catch with buying cull cows?

Answer 44

1. They may not have been able to be bred. 2. They are ill. 3. They are close to death.

Question 45

What are premium white cows?

Answer 45

Cows fed a high energy ration that adds thick white fat.

Question 46

What kind of meat is produced from cull cows?

Answer 46

Prime rib specials (larger portion of cuts than ground beef).

Question 47

What is the DM conversion for cull cows?

Answer 47

10 lbs DM: 1lb gain.

Question 48

How long are cull cows fed?

Answer 48

60-90 days.

Question 49

What role do packers play in the industry?

Answer 49

Harvest and process the cattle.

Question 50

What % of beef is boxed by packers?

Answer 50

>80%.

Question 51

What is the preferred carcass weight of an animal brought to the packer?

Answer 51

650-900 lbs (1,050-1,400 lbs alive).

Question 52

Why do packers have a carcass weight preference?

Answer 52

To best fit the box.

Question 53

What is case-ready beef?

Answer 53

The same beef cuts that are pre-packaged and can be placed directly into the case when they arrive at the retailer.

Question 54

List the 4 major beef packing companies.

Answer 54

1. JBS. 2. Tyson. 3. Cargill. 4. National.

Question 55

What is the function of distributors?

Answer 55

Buy beef and resell it without altering it.

Question 56

What is the function of purveyors?

Answer 56

To buy beef, perform fabrications, and resell the beef.

Question 57

What is happening to the number of distributors and purveyors and why?

Answer 57

They are declining in number and importance due to packers fabricating the meat and selling it or selling it directly.

Question 58

What % of all grocery store sales are from the fish, meat, and poultry departments?

Answer 58

14.

Question 59

What amount of meat department sales does fresh beef account for?

Answer 59

1/3.

Question 60

What beef product had the highest % of sales pre-COVID?

Answer 60

Hamburger/cheeseburger.

Question 61

What are the 2 broad categories of beef products?

Answer 61

1. By-products. 2. Retail cuts.

Question 62

Who ultimately determines the profitability of the beef industry?

Answer 62

The consumers.

Question 63

What does it mean if the meat is labeled as natural?

Answer 63

The meat contains no artificial ingredients and was minimally processed.