Lecture 11 - Beef production in Canada

Question 1

How much beef in Canada is processed in Alberta

Answer 1

over 70%

Question 2

How much does the beef industry generate in Alberta annually

Answer 2

5.2 Billion

Question 3

how much beef produced in Alberta is exported

Answer 3

~45%

Question 4

Around how many beef farms are there in canada

Answer 4

71,075 farms

Question 5

when are calves sold

Answer 5

at weaning

Question 6

what months are calves weaned

Answer 6

october - nov

Question 7

how old are calves when they are sold

Answer 7

6-8 months

Question 8

describe how calves are preconditioned before being sold

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

how do cows get backgrounded? (thanks nicole <3)

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

how long are cows backgrounded for

Answer 10

on the pasture of feedlot for 90 days

Question 11

what is the backgrounding diet composition

Answer 11

70-85% forage (barley/corn silage)
15-30% grain
transition diet

Question 12

what is the finishing diet composed of

Answer 12

80-90% concentrate - barely grain/ corn silage

Question 13

how are cows finished

Answer 13

• re-implanted and vaccinated

Question 14

what is the finish weight range

Answer 14

650-850 kg (1400-1800 pounds)

Question 15

what are some painful procedures done on feedlots

Answer 15

dehorning, castration (surgical and band), branding, spaying - painful at any age

Question 16

What are some ways physiology is measured on a feedlot

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

what are some indicators of pain in 1 week calves after band castration

Answer 17

Lying duration, Standing and lying, rumination

Question 18

what are some indicators of pain in 1 week calves after knife castration

Answer 18

tail flick, stride length, VAS, scrotal swelling d7

Question 19

what are some indicators of pain in 2 month old calves after knife castration

Answer 19

salivary cortisol,
- lying, walking, standing, eating duration %
- VAS

Question 20

what are some indicators of pain in 4 month old calves after band castration

Answer 20

salivary cortisol, standing bouts, lying bouts

Question 21

what are some indicators of pain in 4 month old calves after knife castration

Answer 21

tail flick, stride length, VAS, standing and lying duration, active behaviours

Question 22

what are some effects of band castration on acute pain in 1 week calves

Answer 22

• increase cortisol
• increase SAA D 35
• increase RBC
• increase VAS
• increase leg movement
• increase vocalizations

Question 23

what are some acute pain effects during/after knife castration in 1 wk calves

Answer 23

• 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

Question 24

what are the effects of using meloxicam on acute pain during/after castration in 1 wk calves

Answer 24

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

Question 25

at what age is castration performed

Answer 25

as early as possible when testes are small

Question 26

which heals faster... surgical methods or rubber band

Answer 26

wound heals fastest with surgical methods (rubber band can cause a delay in wound healing)

Question 27

does anesthesia alone eliminate acute pain from castration

Answer 27

naur

Question 28

why are analgesics used in castration

Answer 28

they mitigate longterm pain

Question 29

what is the optimal way to mitigate pain from castration

Answer 29

a combination of anesthesia and analgesia

Question 30

what is an alternative method of castration

Answer 30

immuno-castration

Question 31

at what age should dehorning be performed

Answer 31

as early as possible when horns are in the bud stage (1-12 weeks of age)

Question 32

what is the main method used for dehorning

Answer 32

hot-iron in bud stage

Question 33

how are anesthetics and analgesics used in dehorning

Answer 33

a combination of local anesthetic and analgesic

Question 34

what is an alternative method of dehorning

Answer 34

homozygous polled sires - does not affect productivity

Question 35

when is BRD (shipping fever) most common

Answer 35

within the first 30 days of calf arrival to feed lots

Question 36

what is the disease complex associated with

Answer 36

bacterial and viral pathogens

Question 37

what does BRD result in

Answer 37

labour and lost production (reduced feed, water intake, carcass quality, gain)

Question 38

what are some external risk factors associated with BRD

Answer 38

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

Question 39

what are some internal factors to BRD (what makes a cattle "high risk")

Answer 39

genetics, experiences, health and fitness

Question 40

what percentage of euthanized cattle is due to lameness

Answer 40

7.8%

Question 41

what is the treatment cost of lameness in a catte

Answer 41

$8.4-42.2 dollars

Question 42

what is the production loss estimate for a cow that is lame

Answer 42

$81.4/ animal

Question 43

what are some strategies to reduce lameness

Answer 43

- 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

Question 44

what are some stressors associated with transport

Answer 44

transport, duration, restriction of feed and water, handling, novel environement, mixing at auction, environmental conditions, loading density, energy to maintain balance, injury

Question 45

during transport, when is weight loss the greatest

Answer 45

during first few hours

Question 46

what are some ways cows lose weight during transport

Answer 46

excretion of feces, urine, evaporation and respiration

Question 47

what is shrink related to

Answer 47

feed and water deprivation

Question 48

what is shrink >10% associated with

Answer 48

reduced feedlot performance, increased morbidity (BRD)

Question 49

explain microclimate during transportation

Answer 49

microclimate varies between different compartments within a trailer, challenges thermoregulatory capabilities of cattle

Question 50

at what temperature does mortality increase sharply during transport

Answer 50

-15*C

Question 51

at what temperature is there greater lameness and less ambulation during transport

Answer 51

greater than 20*C

Question 52

during a single trip, how does temperature change

Answer 52

ex. during transportation from Alberta to cali, can experience -30 to +30

Question 53

what is the temperature range over 18 months during transportation

Answer 53

-42*C to 46*C

Question 54

what are the effects of transport duration and temperature on shrink

Answer 54

as temperature and time increase, shrink increases as well

Question 55

what are the effects of feed withdrawal in cows

Answer 55

- 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)

Question 56

what are some post transport effects of time off feed and water

Answer 56

- poor feedlot performance - depletion of body fat reserves - neuroendocrine stress

Question 57

what are the effects of mud being used in housing

Answer 57

- 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

Question 58

what are the effects of cold stress on cows

Answer 58

increases amount of energy required for growth, maintenance and to maintain body temperature

Question 59

when is heat the most stressful for cows

Answer 59

generally more stressful early in summer before cattle have acclimated

Question 60

how can the negative effects of mud being used on a feedlot be mitigated

Answer 60

- increase bedding amount or frequency - increase pen cleaning frequency - ensure proper drainage - reduce stocking density

Question 61

how can the negative effects of the cold be reduced

Answer 61

increase bedding, feed amount and type, wind fence , shelter

Question 62

how can the effects of heat be reduced

Answer 62

water availability, shade, coat colour, sprinklers

Question 63

what are high concentrate diets (ex. 40-90% grain) associated with

Answer 63

nutritional disease, acidosis, liver abscesses, laminitis

Question 64

name some strategies to reduce acidosis

Answer 64

- feed adequate amounts of fiber - feeding ionophores - alter ruminal - fermentation and feeding behaviour - gradual adaptation over 3-4 weeks - feeding buffers (sodium bicarb, seaweed)