Intro to Livestock Industry

Legal Definition of Livestock

Domestic animals typically raised or used on farms

_______ are not legally considered livestock

Poultry

What laws do not apply to poultry?

Humane slaughter act, animal welfare act, 28-hour law

Common products and functions livestock are used for

• Meat

• Milk

• Fiber

• Draft

• Hobby

• Entertainment

Livestock industry has $_______ in total receipts

243.8 billion

How many farms are there in Texas

~a quarter million

How many acres of farmland are there in Texas?

126 million

Texas is ranked what in farm income in the US?

3rd

Texas has $_________ of livestock related income annually?

13 billion

There is a general disconnect within the US population when it comes to…

knowing where their food comes from

Most people are __ generations or more away from farming

3

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO)

An animal feeding facility with more than 1000 units

CAFOs require a…

waste management plan

Purpose of a waste management plan

To limit environmental impact and manage nutrients in environment

Benefits of having a large farm

• Produce more with less (labor, energy, land, money)

• Can invest in improvement due to economics of scale (good client to veterinarians)

Why do people have livestock?

• They like animals

• Livelihood

• Tax breaks

• Lifestyle

• Sanctuary (animal rescues)

• Show

Primary cattle operations

• Seedstock

• Cow-calf

• Backgrounder

• Feedlot

• Dairy

• Heifer raiser

• Bull stud

Seedstock operation

Animals are kept for breeding and genetics purposes - purebred or registered animals

Bull stud operation

Intact male bovids are kept for selective breeding and reproductive sample collection

Cow-Calf operation

Permanent female stock raising calves to be sold - foundational production system

Backgrounder operation

Intermediate feeding system where weaned calves are grown to a heavier weight prior to finishing

Feedlot operation

Animals are fed high energy feeds prior to harvest

Dairy operation

System that raises milk-producing animals to process milk and products for human consumption

Heifer raiser operation

Intermediate specialized enterprise raising heifer dairy calves

Calf

Pre-ruminating bovid from calving until weaning

Cow

Adult female bovid that has had at least one calf

Heifer

Weaned female bovid that has not yet calved

Bull

Weaned intact male bovid

Steer

Castrated male bovid

Stocker

Weaned calves of any sex that are not yet of sufficient weight and maturity to be finished

Feeder

Weaned calves of any sex that are of sufficient weight and maturity to be finished

Primiparous

Cow that has had only one calf

Multiparous

Cow that has had more than one calf

Bos taurus breeds

Angus, simmental, hereford, charolais, etc.

Bos indicus

Brahman, nellore, gyr

Composite breeds

Brangus, beefmaster, braford, simbrah, santa gertrudis

Angus

Simmental

Hereford

Charolais

Brahman

Brangus

Beefmaster

Dairy breeds

Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, Ayrshire

Holstein-Friesian

Jersey

Ayrshire

Major swine operations

• Farrow-to-finish

• Farrow-to-wean

• Farrow-to-feeder

• Wean-to-finish

• Feeder-to-finish

Piglet

Young pig prior to weaning

Gilt

Female pig that has never farrowed

Sow

Female pig that has farrowed

Boar

Intact male pig

Barrow

Castrated male pig

Nursery Pig/Weaner

Young pig from weaning to 25kg

Feeder/Grower

Young pig from 25 to 70 kg

Finisher

Young pig from 70 kg to slaughter

Commercial swine breeds

• Hampshire

• Yorkshire

• Landrace

• Hereford

• Duroc

• Meishan

Companion Pig Breeds

Kune-kune, Vietnamese pot-bellied pig

Landrace

Yorkshire

Hampshire

Hereford

Duroc

Meishan

Vietnamese pot-bellied pig

Kune-kune

How should you treat companion pigs or other companion livestock in the vet clinic?

You must still follow federal regulations for food-producing species (drug limitations, vaccine locations, etc.)

Chicken operations

• Breeder farm

• Hatchery

• Pullet farm

• Broiler farm

• Layer farm

Chick

Young, hatched chicken that is incompletely feathered

Pullet

Young, fully feathered female chicken that is less than one year of age or had not yet started laying

Hen

An adult (>1 yo) female chicken who has begun laying

Cockerel

A young, fully feathered male chicken that is less than 1 yo

Cock/Rooster

An adult (>1 yo) male chicken

Capon

A castrated male chicken being raised for meat

Layer

A female chicken of an egg-laying breed

Broiler/Fryer

A chicken raised up to 10 weeks old, slaughter at 2.5+ lbs

Roaster

A chicken raised between 8-12 weeks old, slaughter at 5+ lbs

Breeder

Sexually mature male or female chickens

Chicken breeds

• Leghorn

• Rhode Island Red

• Plymouth Rock

• Olive Egger

• Easter Egger

• Silkie

Leghorn

Rhode Island Red

Plymouth rock

Silkie

Sheep operations

• Meat

• Milk

• Wool/hair/fiber

Lamb

Young sheep from lambing to sexual maturity; can be hyphenated with ewe or ram to designate sex (ewe-lamb, ram-lamb)

Ewe

Adult sexually mature female sheep

Ram

Adult sexually mature intact male sheep

Wether

Castrated male sheep

Sheep meat breeds

Suffolk, Hampshire

Sheep milk breeds

Friesian, Awassi

Sheep wool breeds

Rambouillet, Merino

Suffolk

Hampshire

Friesian

Awassi

Rambouillet

Merino

Goat operations

• Meat

• Milk

• Fiber

Kid

Young goat from kidding to sexual maturity

Doeling

Young female goat