Intro Cattle Nutrition

Question 1

What is the job of dairy cows?

Answer 1

To produce milk and dairy products for human consumption

Question 2

What is the job of beef cattle?

Answer 2

Produce meat for human consumption

Question 3

What are the differences in abilities between dairy cattle and beef cattle?

Answer 3

Different ability to grow, produce milk, ability to produce body muscle and fat masses, different conformation

Question 4

When looking at a beef cow and a dairy cow from a lateral view, what is their body shape?

Answer 4

Dairy - triangular

Beef - rectangular

Question 5

What are two important dairy breeds?

Answer 5

Holstein-Friesland
Jersey

Other:
Ayrshire
Brown Swiss

Question 6

90% of dairy cows are what breed?

Answer 6

Holstein-Friesland

FYI:
Average weight - 1,500 lbs cows / 2,200 lbs bulls

Question 7

What milk fat % do Holstein cows produce?

Answer 7

2.5-3.5% milk fat

average milk production/year: 23,151 pounds

Question 8

What is the smallest dairy breed?

Answer 8

Jersey

Cows - 1000lbs
Bulls - 1600lbs

Question 9

What is the milk fat % that Jersey cows produce?

Answer 9

4.9%

Jersey cows produce the highest milk fat content

Average production: 16,431 pounds/year

Question 10

What dairy cow breed originates from Switzerland, has good heat tolerance, is docile, and has a milk fat production of 4%?

Answer 10

Brown Swiss

FYI
Cows - 1500lbs
Bulls- 2000lbs

Average milk production/year - 22,252 pounds

Question 11

What percent milk fat do Ayrshire cows produce?

Answer 11

4% milk fat

Average production is 17,230 pounds per year

Question 12

What are some important beef breeds?

Answer 12

Angus
Hereford
Highland cattle
Shorthorn
Charolais
Brahman
Texas Longhorn

Question 13

T/F: Red angus cattle are the most common

Answer 13

False

Red angus - recessive gene

Typical characteristic angus cattle are black, smooth haired

Question 14

Angus cattle produce a _____ quality carcass, with well _____ meat

Answer 14

High quality

Well marbled meat

Question 15

What does the standard Hereford cow look like?

Answer 15

White faces and red bodies

These are docile and easily handled

Question 16

What does the classic Charolais cow look like?

Answer 16

White color, pink skin
Large, heavily muscled

These cows have a high carcass yield - lean carcass
(french origin)

Question 17

What beef breed is used for crossing with other breeds, is grey or red in color, has a high heat tolerance, and ability to forage on poor quality pastures?

Answer 17

Brahman

*these cattle have a large neck/chest

Question 18

T/F: Texas longhorn cattle are fast to mature

Answer 18

False

Slow maturity

**these cattle are tolerant to disease and parasites and have the ability to survive on sparse rangelands

Question 19

What are examples of dual purpose breeds?

Answer 19

Simmentaler/Fleckvieh
Normande

*ultimately all dairy breeds ca be used for meat production; but they produce poor quality meat

Question 20

What are composite breeds, and what is their purpose?

Answer 20

Pure breeds that result from the intentional crosses of other pure breeds –> Goal: optimizing beef production on harsh lands

Question 21

On dairy farms, cows are milked ____ months a year, and produce ____ calf (calves) per year

Answer 21

milked 10 months a year

Produce 1 calf per year per cow

Question 22

What are the variations of feeding dairy cattle (in regards to grazing)?

Answer 22

Grazing: animals feed essentially on pasture, supplemented with grain/hay during the winter = low yield animals

Minimal grazing: animals are fed on pasture and “hand fed” on TMR

No grazing: Animals are exclusively “hand fed” TMR and have no access to pasture

Question 23

How often do dairy cows need to be milked?

Answer 23

Every 12 hours - every single day

Question 24

What is the reproduction goal of beef cows?

Answer 24

Produce 1 calf per year

then finish that calf as soon as possible

Question 25

What are the two types of beef cattle farms?

Answer 25

Cow Calf Ops: Has a cow herd and produces calves that are raised until one year old

Feedlots: Calves from cow calf ops are finished as quickly as possible and later slaughtered

Question 26

Cow calf op nutrition is based on _____

Answer 26

Pastures

Question 27

What is the feeding/nutrition like for feedlot cattle?

Answer 27

Animals are confined and have access to feed (roughage plus grain )

Question 28

What is the time period cattle spend in feed lots?

Answer 28

3-6 months are spent in the feedlot

most spend 12-18 months on the pasture PRIOR to the feedlot

Question 29

What is the daily gain for feedlot cattle?

Answer 29

between 2.5 - 4 pounds a day

Question 30

How does the diet change for cattle going to feedlots?

Answer 30

The diet switches from mostly roughage to 70-90% grain (concentrate diet)