Beef Unit Lab

bloodless emasculator

• used for castration to crush spermatic cord

whites improved emasculator

• castration

scrotal knife

• castration

scrotal tape

• measures scrotal circumference of bulls

chin ball marker

• identification of cows in estrus

• positioned under the chin of the bull, filled with paint; bull mounts to breed; it paints cows tail head when bull slides off

palpitation sleeve

• assisting with calving; artificial insemination; pregnancy diagnosis

A.I. Rod or Gun

• deposition of semen (AI)

CIDR (white “Y”) and CIDR inserter (blue)

• synchronization of estrus

KAMAR heat detection patch

• detects estrus (white; not in estrus - red; in estrus and was mounted by another cow)

bander or elastrator

• bloodless castration (rubber band is placed above the testicles and prevents blood to the testicles; testicles shrivel up)

dehorner (barnes)

• removing horns on adult cattle

horn tube

• removing small horns or “scurs” (tips of small horns attached to hide but not to the skull)

electric dehorner

• removing horns (burning them off)

ear tagger

• temporary identification

obstetrical chains & handle

• pulling calves out of pregnant cow

vacutainer (tube) & holder

• blood sampling

balling gun

• oral administration of medications

esophageal feeder

• feeding baby calves

pelvimeter

• measuring pelvic area in heifers (used as a genetic tool)

stomach pump

• oral administration of medication

a tube is attached at nozzle under the pump & put down animals’ esophagus; the end of the opposite pump is attached to the container with the medicine; for large volumes

trocar (sharp end) & cannula (hollow tube)

• treat bloat

the sharp end is placed inside of the tube and jabbed into the rumen and allows excess gas out

tattooer & tattoo ink

• permanent identification (tattoo on the inside of the ear)

brander

• permanent identification

neck chain

• temporary identification

nose lead or twitch

• leading / controlling bulls

milk claw

• milking dairy cattle

implant gun

• administering medications under the skin or in the ear

what does CIDR stand for?

controlled internal drug release

angus bull

angus cow

brahman bull

brahman cow

brangus bull

charoláis bull

charoláis cow & calf

chianini cow & calf

chianini bull

hereford bull

limousin bull

limousin bulls

polled hereford bulls

simmental cow & calf (solid color)

simmental cow (piebald color pattern)

1) tailhead

2) pins

3) quarter or rounder

4) hock

5) pastern

6) foot / toe

1) rump

2) hooks / hips

3) loin

4) back

5) crops

6) rear flank

7) stifle

1) brisket

2) forearm

3) fore flank

4) knee

5) cannon

6) pastern

7) foot / toe

1) top of shoulder

2) crest

3) face

4) forehead

5) poll

6) muzzle

7) neck

8) shoulder

9) dewlap

10) point of shoulder

at what age are cows weaned, after weaning where do they go?

7 months, they go to the stocker operation and then sent to the feedlot

what is average market weight for beef cattle?

1000 - 1500 lbs

when does castration and dehorning occur?

when the calves are at least a month old, after they recieve an ID number and meds

fat cattle

cattle that are in feedlots that are close to reaching their desired market weight

average daily gain

weight / age: average weight per day