beef management 1

total cattle in the u.s.

86 million

how much does the u.s. contribute to the worlds cattle

about 9.5%

u.s beef in metric tons

11.8

how much beef does the u.s. produce of the worlds beef and veal

19%

beef

cattle over 1 yr of age

veal

calves less than 3 months of age

beef cattle and calves gross income

133 billion dollars

what percent does beef contribute to all agricultural cash receipts

>25%

cattle in the u.s. is:

• decreasing

• high demand but low production

inventory changes based on

• weather (drought vs. flood)

• cost of production (feed and fuel)

• land prices

• demand (domestic and exports)

• beef prices

top cattle states

• texas

• nebraska

• kansas

• california

• oklahoma

• missouri

• iowa

• south dakota

• wisconsin

cattle feeding areas

southern and central region of the great plains

segmented beef industry

1. cow-calf operation

2. stocker/yearling operation

3. finishing/feedlot

4. processing/slaughter

5. market/retail

goal of cow-calf operation

birth to 6-10 months at 400-750 lbs

pregnancy for cattle

9 months

when is next heat after calving/nursing

30 days until next heat

sell light weanlings (light weight):

goes to stocker/yearling operation

goal of stocker/yearling operation

light weanling to 600-900 lbs by 12-16 months

sell heavy weanlings:

goes to finishing/feedlot

retain ownership:

goes to processing/slaughter

when is weaning for cattle

6-10 months

role of a brood cow on a beef farm

• conceive early in the breeding season (first 40 days)

• deliver a live calf each year

• re-breed on a schedule (by 40-90 days after calving)

• wean a healthy, good-sized calf (at least 500lbs)

• yeild a positive return on investment

diet of cattle

forage-based

cow estrous cycle

nonseasonally polyestrous

estrous cycle length

average 21 days (range 18-24 days)

stages of estrous cycle for cattle

• proestrus

• estrus

• metestrus

• diestrus

most common breeding method for cattle

natural service (bull bred)

natural service

fertile and healthy bull at right stocking density

1 youn bull

20-25 cows

1 mature bull

25-40 cows

range of bulls per cow

4 bulls per 100 cows

exposure time

less than or equal to 60 days

artifical insemination

detect estrus or synchronize estrus and/or ovulation

AI advantages

• genetic improvement

• maximize use of bull

• safer without a bull

• limit spread of diseases

AI disadvantages

• costly

• trained-labor

• time consuming

• special handling facilities

• equipment

are beef cows bred year-round

for management purposes, cows are typically bred to calve in the spring or in the fall

• this is for better grass

after calving in the spring:

• cows will be lactating when natural grazing is available and little or no supplemental feed is required

• calves will be weaned in the fall and ready to go to a feedlot, when the feed supply is large

breed the “future of the herd” based on

• size

• age

• date

size when breeding heifers

breed at 65% of projected adult weight and height (breed-dependent, but usually 700-850)

age when breeding heifers

breed by 15 months so that heifers calve for the first time by 2 yrs of age

date when breeding heifers

early in the season so they salve 20-30 days before cows (allows more time for observation and more time for 1st calf heifers to return to estrous cyclicity post-calving)

when should you check for pregnancy

45-90 days after removal of the bull by palpation per rectum or by ultrasound examination per rectum

if a cow is open should she be culled (removed from herd)

yes, since she will have no calf

length of calving season

40-90 days

• spring: march to june

• fall: sept to oct

calving goals

• clean, safe environment

• frequent observation

• provide assistance when needed (heifers)

• save calves (mortality rate <3%)

• keep records

calf processing

1. ear tag - mom and identification

2. bull or heifer

3. disbud or dehorn

4. tattoo

5. brand

6. castrate

when are calves disbudded

before about 8 weeks when horn attaches to skull

when are calves dehorned

the younger, the better (used polled genetics to avoid the need to dehorn)

disbudding or dehorning nerve block (lidocaine ± sedation; nsaid) before: less than 2 weeks

shave hair and apply caustic paste

disbudding or dehorning nerve block (lidocaine ± sedation; nsaid) before: less than 8 weeks

tube dehorner or heat dehorner

dehorning less than 6 months

use barns dehorner

• beware of flies feed falling into sinus

dehorning young adult

use gilgi wire (or wire saw)

• provide a nerve block to prevent acute pain or anti-inflammatory

how do you brand

• hot iron

• freeze brand

• letters 4 inches tall, 3/8 - 1 inch wide

what do you use to castrate bull to steer

• elastrator band

• burdizzo or emasculotome

• surgical emasculator

when are they castrated

ideally <2 months of age

catstrated at >8 months

staggy (still have bull behavior)

weaning a 6-10 months

although calves are born over a range of 40-60 days, most calves in a herd will be weaned at the same time

factors affecting calf weaning weights

• calving date (cow fertility)

• available forage for the cow and calf

• creep feed

• disease or illness

• genetic selection - milk production and calf growth

• crossbreeding

• growth implants or stimulants

how much does crossbreeding increase in lbs calf weaned per cow exposed

10-30%

what are growth implants

small pellets containing synthetic or natural hormones inserted under the skin of the back of the ear for slow release over 100-120 days

natural hormones

• estradiol

• progesterone

• testosterone

synthetic hormone

• zeranol

• trenbolone acetate

• melengestrol acetate

why are growth implants inserted into the ear

the ear is always removed at slaughter

how do growth implants work

growth implants work with an animals endocrine system to partition nutrients to support muscle growth for increased weight gain, improved feed efficiency, and a leaner carcass

why use implants

• improve growth rate/average daily gain

• imrpove feed efficiency

• generate a leaner carcass

• make economic sense to producers = 10:1 return

generate a leaner carcass

produce leaner meat in a shorter amount of time/less feed/$ input

make economic sense to producers

if the beef production practices from 1955 were used today, >165 million acres of land would be needed to sustain todays beef production

timeline of growth promotants approved in north america

• there is no withdrawal period for growth implants

• steer risks

• heifer risks

• implants given at the wrong time or too often

steer risks

bullers (increased mounting behavior or standing or standing to be mounted)

heifer risks

if implanted at birth or multiple times before or after weaning, heifers have significantly lower conception rates companted to non-implanted heifers and heifer implanted once pre-weaning

implants given at the wrong time or too often

signs of estrus, vaginal or rectal prolapses, udder problems or other repro issues