BAP - Beef

what is beef

meat from cattle

what is a cow

bovine female that has given birth

what is a heifer

female bovine not given birth

what is a bull

intact male bovid

what is a calf

young immature bovid

what is a steer

castrated male bovid

what is a bovid

mammal of the calf family

what is culling

removing from the herd

when were cattle imported to the US

1493 by Columbus

why were cattle needed in the 1840s

used for hides and tallow, much of the animal went to waste

when was the refridgerated rail car made

1880

describe the current beef inventory

beef production remains constant while cattle inventory decreases, and consumption of beef decreases

feeder operations

cattle graze grass for 3-4 months before feedlot

backgrounding operations

cattle fed dry forage, silage, and grain 90-120 days before feedlot

feedlots

TMR diet, put on weight

beef cattle inventory per farm

most under 50 animals

Missouri Ag and Beef

$93.7 bil industry

3rd in cattle farms

3rd in number of beef cattle

3rd in cow calf operations

biggest beef imports

austrailia, canada, brazil

biggest beef exports

Japan, South Korea, China

products from cattle

beef, leather, gelatin, tallow

species

group of organisms of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes

breed

group of organisms within a species having a distinct appearance

bos taurus

most common cattle species / north america

bos indicus

cattle species found in warmer climates

traits of a british bos taurus species

from britain, UK, and irelend

-smaller mature size

-mature faster

-less growth potential

-fertility and calving ease

-attain higher quality grades

-lower carcass yields

traits of a continental bos taurus species

from continental europe

-larger mature size

-later maturing

-carcass with less fat

-lower quality grades

-produce more calving difficulty

Aberdeen Angus

• british breed

• originated in scotland

• noted by black color

• most common breed in US

CAB

Certified Angus Beef (CAB)

1. modest or higher marbling

2. medium of fine marbling texture

3. cattle harvested 30 month of age or younger

4. 10 to 16 square inch ribeye area

5. 1100 pound hot carcass weight or less

6. less than 1” fat thickness

7. superior muscling

8. practically free of capillary ruptures

9. no dark cutters

10. no neck hump exceeding 2”

Charolais

• continental breed

  • france

• medium to large frame size

• white with pink muzzle

• demonstrate efficient growth

• more pounds = more profit

Hereford

• british breed

• red with white face

• longevity

  • cows 15+

  • bulls 12+

• early maturity

Simmental

• continental

  • switzerland

• originally selected for

  • milk

  • meat

  • draft animals

Red Angus

• british breed

• same origin as Aberdeen angus

  • 1917 only black allowed to register

• 1954 new herd book - red angus

• black coloring dominant

Texas longhorn

• iconic breed

• eat wilder range of grasses, plants, weeds

• produce very lean beef

• longevity

• docility

Gelbvieh

• continental

• “yellow cattle” in german

• came to US in 1970s - clay center,NE

• triple purpose breed

• redish gold, russet or black in color

• fine hair

• medium to large body size

• fast pre-weaning growth

Holstein

• dairy breed

• after lactating = sent to beef production

Limousin

• continental breed

• central and southwest france

• breed of sturdiness, health, and adaptability

• work and meat

Highland

• british breed

• from british highlands

• high fat milk

• horns help forage during heavy winters

Shorthorn

• british breed

• dual purpose

• oldest recognized breed

• roan coloring

how are cattle converters

they convert low quality foods into nutrient dense food for us

• forages

• by-products

major management components of cow calf operations

• herd nutrition

• pasture and range management

• herd health

• financial management

• marketing

• reproduction

• genetics

Assessing profitability (cow calf operations)

• calf crop percentage weaned (7mo of age)

• average age at weaning

• annual cow cost

• compare market price with break-even price

why spring or fall calving

• cows are not seasonal animals

• 280 day gestation length

• some operations will utilize both calving seasons

  • larger farms

  • some bull both seasons

  • gives flexibility with heifers

  • spread out marketing risk

  • more labor requirements

  • more pasture management

spring calving

advantages and disadvantages

• most common in US

• feb-april

• heifers calf before cows

• advantages

  • increasing temp

  • growth of grasses

• disadvantages

  • rain, snow, mud

fall calving

advantages and disadvantages

• august-october

• advantages

  • weaned calves marketing in spring

  • breeding for fall

    • weather and fescue toxicity

• disadvantages

  • must get calves through winter

  • manage lactating cow

  • lower calf weight

three stages of parturition in cattle

1. prep stage: calf getting into position

2. delivery; 2-4 hours, dystocia

3. clean up: placenta passes in 8-12 hours

causes of calf loss

• peri-natal calf mortality 3.5-5%

  • 44% had dystocia

  • large calves to first calf heifers

• majority lost during first 1-3 days

• scours

• pneumonia

Colostrum

• immunoglobulins

  • passive immunity transfer

• fat soluable vitamins

• vitamin b12

• iron

• vigorously nursing in first 24 hours

care for neonatal calf

• colostrum

• weigh

• tag

• castrate

rumen development

why dry out the umbilical cord

prevent bacteria from getting into calf

types of identification

• ear tag

• hot branding

• freeze branding

castration

• asap to reduce stress

• easier housing (can keep heifers and steers together)

• even distribution of fat

• bloodless or surgical

dehorning

• asap to reduce stress

• safer for humans

• done with hot iron to bud of the horn

vaccinations for calves and when to give them

• 60-90 days of age

  • clostridial diseases (7-way)

• 2-4 weeks before weaning

  • 7-way

  • IBR,BVD,BRSV,PI3

  • brucellosis vaccine for replacement heifers

• weaning

  • IBR,BVD,BRSV,PI3

  • brucellosis vaccine for replacement heifers

clostridial disease symptoms

• Sudden Death: Often the first and only sign observed in a healthy animal.

• Fever and Depression: Rapid onset of high temperature, listlessness, and loss of appetite.

• Lameness and Swelling: Hardening or painful swellings that may crackle (crepitation) when touched due to gas under the skin.

blackleg symptoms

Gas bubbles under the skin that feel/sound like bubble wrap when pressed. Acute lameness and hot, painful swelling in heavy muscles (hips, shoulders) that later becomes cold and insensitive.

malignant edema

Soft, doughy swelling around a wound (e.g., from castration or difficult calving) that lacks the gas crackling typical of blackleg.

Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)

commonly known as "Red Nose," is a highly contagious respiratory and reproductive disease in cattle caused by Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1). 

Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)

a complex and costly viral disease in cattle. Its presentation is highly variable, often categorized into acute infections, reproductive issues, and the specialized "mucosal disease" syndrome

Bovine Respitory Syncytial Virus (BRSV)

It is particularly dangerous because it destroys the "cleaning cells" (ciliated epithelium) of the lungs, opening the door for severe secondary bacterial pneumonia. 

when to wean

typically around 7 months of age

depends on BCS of calf

what is uterine torsion

uterine twist in cow

retained placenta

when placenta doesn’t pass within 8-12 hours after giving birth

• best to provide antibiotics and not manipulate

• 5-15% occurrence in healthy herd

• more frequent in bull calves

prolapse

inversion of vagina or uterus

• could result in death of cow

• encourage cow to stand after birth

• high chance of reoccurrence

gestation length

280 days

calving interval

365 days

estrous cycle length

21 days

signs of estrus

standing heat

• stand to be mounted

• average duration 15-18 hours

• mounting other cows

• mucus discharge

• swelling and reddening of the vulva

• bellowing restlessness

reproductive diseases

brucellosis, leptospirosis,vibriosis, IBR, BVD, trichmoniasis

brucellosis

reproductive disease also known as bangs disease, non existent in missouri, can be transmitted from wild to domestic species, no cure

Leptospirosis

reproductive disease, wide spread problem in the south because of unvaccinated herds, a low grade uterine infection and the infected urine can pass it to other cows, can cause mastitus

vibriosis

venereal disease that causes infertility and occasionally abortions, causes raspatory infections and spreads from bull to cow during breeding

trichomoniasis

venereal disease that can cause abortions and includes symptoms of pyometra

• vaginal discharge

• pus in uterine lumen

• infection in CL

what trait in cattle is of highest economic importance

reproductive performance

requirements for cows to be able to rebreed

• appropriate BCS

  • lower than 4 causes longer post partum interval

PPI (post partum interval)

• 45-50 days

• first calf cows have longer interval

  • at least 10 days longer

• dystocia leads to longer interval

which areas are evaluated in BCSs

• backbone

• ribs

• hips

• pin bones

• tail head

• brisket

ideal time to check BCS

• late summer/early fall

• weaning

• 45 days after weaning

• 90 days before calving

• calving time

• beginning of breeding season

When to do a BSE

30 days before breeding season

components of a BSE

• BCS

• physical exam

• scrotum and testes

• semen evaluation

components of a semen evaluation

• volume

• concentration

• motility

• morphology

types of assisted reproductive tech

• AI

• CIDR (controlled internal drug release(typically progesterone))

• embryo transfer

• in vitro fertilization

goals for replacement heifers

• puberty 12-14 months

• conceive early in breeding season

• large enough

• rebreed quickly

calving at 2 years: pros and cons

pros:

• make money sooner

• more calves

• see potential sooner

cons:

• smaller pelvis

• higher chance of dystocia

calving at 3 years: pros and cons

pros:

• reduce dystocia

• physically mature at time for breeding

cons:

• money made later fewer calves

• see potential later

puberty

period of adolescents reaching sexual maturity