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ANS 422: Beef Systems and Management > Industry Structure > Flashcards

Industry Structure Flashcards

1
Q

How long is it from breeding to calving?

A

9.5 months.

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2
Q

How long is it from calving to weaning?

A

6-8 months.

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3
Q

How long is it from weaning to harvest?

A

5-18 months.

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4
Q

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

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

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

A

16.

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6
Q

What is a seedstock really?

A

A specialized cow-calf operation.

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7
Q

What is a seedstock operation also called?

A
  1. Purebred breeders.
  2. Registered breeders.
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8
Q

What is the purpose of a seedstock operation?

A

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

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9
Q

What area do most seedstock operations sell breeding animals to?

A

Within 100-150 miles of the operation.

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10
Q

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

A

<50.

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11
Q

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

A

300+.

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12
Q

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

A

Secondary.

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13
Q

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

A
  1. To maintain cow herds.
  2. Raise calves from birth to weaning.
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14
Q

When are most calves born?

A

February-April.

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15
Q

Why are most calves born during these 3 months?

A

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

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16
Q

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

A

The South.

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17
Q

How old are calves when they are weaned?

A

5-10 months.

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18
Q

How much do calves weigh at weaning?

A

300-600 lbs.

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19
Q

What pattern do beef industry prices tend to follow?

A

Rises and falls with supply and demand.

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20
Q

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

A

Texas and Tornado Alley. California too.

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21
Q

What is the focus of a backgrounder?

A

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.

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22
Q

What is the focus of stockers?

A

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

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23
Q

Why are forages used?

A

They are low cost for high gain.

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24
Q

What kind of forages are used by stockers?

A

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

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25
Q

What is the focus of feedlots?

A

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

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26
Q

What are feedlots built around?

A

Adequately sized feed mills.

27
Q

What 3 meat characteristics change during the feedlot step?

A
  1. Flavor.
  2. Juiciness.
  3. Tenderness.
28
Q

What color does the fat turn to in the feedlot?

A

Yellow to white.

29
Q

How long does the fat color change take?

A

60-90 days.

30
Q

How long are cattle in the feedlot?

A

90-200 days (avg. 187).

31
Q

How many head of cattle do most feedlots contain?

A

<1000 (small size).

32
Q

What size feedlot are most cattle fed in?

A

Large (>24,000 head).

33
Q

What is a CAFO?

A

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation.

34
Q

What makes something a CAFO?

A

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

35
Q

What is a small CAFO?

A

<300 animals.

36
Q

What is a medium CAFO?

A

300-1000 animals.

37
Q

What is a large CAFO?

A

> 1000 animals.

38
Q

Where are the majority of feedlots?

A

Midwest and Texas Panhandle.

39
Q

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

A

Less mud, Close to grain.

40
Q

What are 2 disadvantage of grass-fed beef?

A
  1. Grows slower (20-30 months to reach same weight).
  2. Smaller overall.
41
Q

What is the flavor description of grass-fed beef?

A

Gamier.
*Higher quality grass, more mild flavor.

42
Q

What is cull cow feeding?

A

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

43
Q

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

A

75.

44
Q

What is the catch with buying cull cows?

A
  1. They may not have been able to be bred.
  2. They are ill.
  3. They are close to death.
45
Q

What are premium white cows?

A

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

46
Q

What kind of meat is produced from cull cows?

A

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

47
Q

What is the DM conversion for cull cows?

A

10 lbs DM: 1lb gain.

48
Q

How long are cull cows fed?

A

60-90 days.

49
Q

What role do packers play in the industry?

A

Harvest and process the cattle.

50
Q

What % of beef is boxed by packers?

A

> 80%.

51
Q

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

A

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

52
Q

Why do packers have a carcass weight preference?

A

To best fit the box.

53
Q

What is case-ready beef?

A

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

54
Q

List the 4 major beef packing companies.

A
  1. JBS.
  2. Tyson.
  3. Cargill.
  4. National.
55
Q

What is the function of distributors?

A

Buy beef and resell it without altering it.

56
Q

What is the function of purveyors?

A

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

57
Q

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

A

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

58
Q

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

A

14.

59
Q

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

A

1/3.

60
Q

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

A

Hamburger/cheeseburger.

61
Q

What are the 2 broad categories of beef products?

A
  1. By-products.
  2. Retail cuts.
62
Q

Who ultimately determines the profitability of the beef industry?

A

The consumers.

63
Q

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

A

The meat contains no artificial ingredients and was minimally processed.

ANS 422: Beef Systems and Management (3 decks)

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