Lecture 6: Beef Production Medicine Flashcards
What are some advantages of beef
- Convert unusable substances to human food
- Graze on ground that can’t be used for farming
- Make use of by-products
- Don’t compete directly with humans for grain
What is the most important agricultural industry in U.S.
Cattle/beef production
what is the cattle cycle
Economic decisions every 8-12 years, describes cattle producers decision to grow or decrease herd size
What is the cattle cycle influenced by
- Cattle prices
- Input costs
- Gestationperiod
- Time needed to raise calves to market weight
- Climate
What are the two sectors of beef cattle production
- Cow calf production
- Fed cattle production
What is the cow-calf production
Herd of beef cows raising calves until weaning
Require range/pasture forage
What is the fed cattle production
Grain fed beef, steers and heifers from cow and calf productions—> slaughter
What is the final stage in the fed cattle production feedlot
Cows get grain, hay and silage over a period of 90-300 days to gain ~4lbs/day
What are the two types of cow-calf production
- Purebred/seed stock heifers and bulls that are future replacements
- Commercial heifers and steers that go to feedlot
What is the ideal BCS for breeding heifers
6
You should breed beef heifers at __% mature body weight which is about __lbs
65%, 715-845lbs
when should we breed beef heifers compared to mature calves and why
1 month (21 days), helps heifers with first calving since they have higher risk of dystocia and give calves advantage
What is an EPD sire
Information on sire that tells you the size calves they usually produce, calving ease, weight, muscle vs fat
**helps you pick animals that produce less dystocia
Beef heifers calve at __% of body weight ~ ___ months old
85%, 22/23 months old (2yrs)
What is the goal for # of calves for beef heifer to have per year
1
What is the goal for # calves for beef heifer to have in lifetime
7 calves
When is the beef calving seasons
Spring +/-fall
What is the ideal length for calving season (time for heifers and adult cows to have calves)
60 days (2 months)
What are some challenges that occur during calving seasons
- Dystocia
- Neonatal losses
- starvation
- diarrhea
- septicemia
- infected joints
What are the 3 programs cows can enter after they are weaned from their moms
- Stocker
- Backgrounding
- Preconditioning
What is the stocker program
Weaned calves graze on grass on 3-4 months, cheap gains and then generally sold at heavier weights to feedlots
What is the preconditioning program
30-60 days on drylot (preconditioning for feedlot)
- deworming, dehorning, vaccinating, castrating
What is the backgrounder program
Weaned calves put on dry lots/pens for 90-120 days to learn how to eat grain out of feed bunks
*don’t necessarily get castrated, dehornted, etc.
What are the benefits to the 3 programs after being weaned
- Give immune system time to get used to stressful events
- Economic standpoint- sell cows at higher weights=more money
- Add value to cattle by going through these programs
What happens once cattle arrive at feed lots
- Rest, eat for a few days
- Processed- vaccines, dewormed, castrated, dethroned, anabolic implants, ID, weight (some of these things may have been done at post weaning programs)
- Records
- Get animals ready for harvest- mainly grain based concentrate diet
What are anabolic implants
Implants put at base of the ear with steroid hormones to help with average daily gain (ADG)
What are beef cattle typically fed at feedlot
Grain
At a feedlot what is the most common health issue we see
- Respiratory disease
Why is respiratory disease the biggest problem
Cows are transported within close quarters for long periods of time
What are penriders
Production staff riding on horses through feedlots to monitor for disease
What clinical signs are penriders looking for
- Nasal discharge
- Chewing cud
- Coughing
- Dirty noses
- Isolation (ex: not getting up to eat)
What are the keys to profit in beef cattle
- Buy low
- Sell high
- Keep them alive
- Make them gain weight
What is price of live cattle based on
Current market and perceived quality
what is the dressed weight of a cow
Carcass weight/handing weight
What is grid pricing
Pricing based on quality grade, yield grade, other premiums/discounts
What is the goal of antemortem and postmortem inspection
Accept animals that are healthful, safe from harmful chemical/drug residues and capable of being converted into wholesome product for the consumer
Who is responsible for antemortem and postmortem inspection
FSIS-Public health veterinarian
Food inspectors
Consumer safety inspectors
What are you looking at for antemortem inspection
- Facilities
- Identification
- Animals (must be ambulatory)
What are the different outcomes of antemortem inspection
- Passed (slaughtered/certified)
- Suspect (further observation)
- Condemned
The animal must be __before exsanguinated
Unconscious
What are accepted methods of humane slaughter in beef cattle
Captive bolt, fire arm, electrical stunning
What quality grades of meat are not generally for retail so sold as ground beef, soup, frozen meals
Utility, cutter and canner
What are the quality of grades based off of
Marbling, maturity
What are the quality grades in beef grading system
- Prime
- Choice
- Select
- Standard
- Commercial
- Utility
- Cutter
- Canner
What are the yield grades
1-5
