Lecture 11 - Beef production in Canada Flashcards
How much beef in Canada is processed in Alberta
over 70%
How much does the beef industry generate in Alberta annually
5.2 Billion
how much beef produced in Alberta is exported
~45%
Around how many beef farms are there in canada
71,075 farms
when are calves sold
at weaning
what months are calves weaned
october - nov
how old are calves when they are sold
6-8 months
describe how calves are preconditioned before being sold
- vaccinated and treated for parasites (at 4 months of age and 3 weeks prior to shipping
- weaned (45 days), castrated, dehorned well before transport
- ready to eat solid feed from a bunk
how do cows get backgrounded? (thanks nicole <3)
- growing out calves before they are fed a high energy diet
- high forage diets promote slower rate of gain
- this stops calves from reaching market condition (back fat) at too light a weight
how long are cows backgrounded for
on the pasture of feedlot for 90 days
what is the backgrounding diet composition
70-85% forage (barley/corn silage)
15-30% grain
transition diet
what is the finishing diet composed of
80-90% concentrate - barely grain/ corn silage
how are cows finished
- re-implanted and vaccinated
what is the finish weight range
650-850 kg (1400-1800 pounds)
what are some painful procedures done on feedlots
dehorning, castration (surgical and band), branding, spaying - painful at any age
What are some ways physiology is measured on a feedlot
- cortisol (saliva and hair)
- immune response - CBC, RBC, WBC, platelets, N:L
- substance P
- acute phase proteins: Haptoglobin and SAA
- inflammatory response (infrared)
- weight
- rectal temp, mortality
what are some indicators of pain in 1 week calves after band castration
Lying duration, Standing and lying, rumination
what are some indicators of pain in 1 week calves after knife castration
tail flick, stride length, VAS, scrotal swelling d7
what are some indicators of pain in 2 month old calves after knife castration
salivary cortisol,
- lying, walking, standing, eating duration %
- VAS
what are some indicators of pain in 4 month old calves after band castration
salivary cortisol, standing bouts, lying bouts
what are some indicators of pain in 4 month old calves after knife castration
tail flick, stride length, VAS, standing and lying duration, active behaviours
what are some effects of band castration on acute pain in 1 week calves
- increase cortisol
- increase SAA D 35
- increase RBC
- increase VAS
- increase leg movement
- increase vocalizations
what are some acute pain effects during/after knife castration in 1 wk calves
- increased cortisol
- increase SAA D 0,2,3
- increased RBS
- decrease in base temperature
- increased VAS
- increased leg movements
- increased vocalizations
- increased tail flicks
- increased lateral laying
what are the effects of using meloxicam on acute pain during/after castration in 1 wk calves
in non medicated calves there is an increase in
- substance P, WBC, tail flicks, lying duration, lateral lying and SAA
in medicated there is only an increase in tail flicks
at what age is castration performed
as early as possible when testes are small
which heals faster… surgical methods or rubber band
wound heals fastest with surgical methods
(rubber band can cause a delay in wound healing)
does anesthesia alone eliminate acute pain from castration
naur
why are analgesics used in castration
they mitigate longterm pain
what is the optimal way to mitigate pain from castration
a combination of anesthesia and analgesia
what is an alternative method of castration
immuno-castration
at what age should dehorning be performed
as early as possible when horns are in the bud stage (1-12 weeks of age)
what is the main method used for dehorning
hot-iron in bud stage
how are anesthetics and analgesics used in dehorning
a combination of local anesthetic and analgesic
what is an alternative method of dehorning
homozygous polled sires - does not affect productivity
when is BRD (shipping fever) most common
within the first 30 days of calf arrival to feed lots
what is the disease complex associated with
bacterial and viral pathogens
what does BRD result in
labour and lost production (reduced feed, water intake, carcass quality, gain)
what are some external risk factors associated with BRD
dehorned, time in transit, vaccination, deprivation of feed and water, handling, loading and unloading, enviro. factors, crowding, castration, social regrouping, branded, novelty, auction, weaned, vibration, noise, pre-transport management… i feel like we wont need to know these
what are some internal factors to BRD (what makes a cattle “high risk”)
genetics, experiences, health and fitness
what percentage of euthanized cattle is due to lameness
7.8%
what is the treatment cost of lameness in a catte
$8.4-42.2 dollars
what is the production loss estimate for a cow that is lame
$81.4/ animal
what are some strategies to reduce lameness
- reduce handling
- manage pen conditions and effects of season
- Cattle type: holsteins less likely to be lame than winter placed calves
- pen density/ bunk size: increasing by 1m decreases lameness
- diet: increase forage
what are some stressors associated with transport
transport, duration, restriction of feed and water, handling, novel environement, mixing at auction, environmental conditions, loading density, energy to maintain balance, injury
during transport, when is weight loss the greatest
during first few hours
what are some ways cows lose weight during transport
excretion of feces, urine, evaporation and respiration
what is shrink related to
feed and water deprivation
what is shrink >10% associated with
reduced feedlot performance, increased morbidity (BRD)
explain microclimate during transportation
microclimate varies between different compartments within a trailer, challenges thermoregulatory capabilities of cattle
at what temperature does mortality increase sharply during transport
-15*C
at what temperature is there greater lameness and less ambulation during transport
greater than 20*C
during a single trip, how does temperature change
ex. during transportation from Alberta to cali, can experience -30 to +30
what is the temperature range over 18 months during transportation
-42C to 46C
what are the effects of transport duration and temperature on shrink
as temperature and time increase, shrink increases as well
what are the effects of feed withdrawal in cows
- decrease in blood glucose
- glycogen stores used in fasting (first liver then muscles)
- increased free fatty acids used by tissues (can be damaging)
- reduced lipids (triglyceride)
what are some post transport effects of time off feed and water
- poor feedlot performance
- depletion of body fat reserves
- neuroendocrine stress
what are the effects of mud being used in housing
- risk factors for lameness, injury and hoof related disease
- mud buildup on hide –> increased heat loss
- difficult to walk, decrease weight gain and lying time
what are the effects of cold stress on cows
increases amount of energy required for growth, maintenance and to maintain body temperature
when is heat the most stressful for cows
generally more stressful early in summer before cattle have acclimated
how can the negative effects of mud being used on a feedlot be mitigated
- increase bedding amount or frequency
- increase pen cleaning frequency
- ensure proper drainage
- reduce stocking density
how can the negative effects of the cold be reduced
increase bedding, feed amount and type, wind fence , shelter
how can the effects of heat be reduced
water availability, shade, coat colour, sprinklers
what are high concentrate diets (ex. 40-90% grain) associated with
nutritional disease, acidosis, liver abscesses, laminitis
name some strategies to reduce acidosis
- feed adequate amounts of fiber
- feeding ionophores - alter ruminal
- fermentation and feeding behaviour
- gradual adaptation over 3-4 weeks
- feeding buffers (sodium bicarb, seaweed)
