DAIRY and BEEF CATTLE

Calf

young bovine; typically less than 1 year old

Bull

Sexually mature male (intact)

Cow

sexually mature female (has had calves)

Heifer

female that has not had a calf, generally are less than 3 years of age

Springer

female that is close to calving

Steers

castrated male

Gomer Bulls

vasectomized male

Calving

The process of giving birth in cattle

35,000

How many US dairy farms producing milk in the US

7.4 gallons

the average US cow will produce this much milk per day

Holstein - Friesiat

the most popular dairy breed in the US

Little development in the dairy industry before 1856

Reason 1 is that most families had a personal cow they milked and often used for meat as well. 2 there was no long-term storage

Condensed Milk

Water removed (about 60%), sugar added, canned

Louis Pasteur

discovered the process of pasteurization

• heat the milk - HIGH TEMP SHORT TIME

Why we care about fat content

Producers: to know how much to charge

Consumers: specific fat —> 0% - 3%

Ayrshire

Came to US from Scotland and come in variety of red and/or white colors. Weigh about 1200lbs when mature. Known for ease of calving

Ayrshire

Brown Swiss

Came from the Alps in Switzerland and are solid brown but the color varies. Weigh about 1500lbs when mature. Known for longer gestation (about 1-2 weeks longer than other dairy breeds), producing higher fat milk (good for cheese), gentle temperament, and hardy

Brown Swiss

Guernsey

First derived from the British Channel Island of “ ___ “ (off coast of France) and came in a fawn to brown color with white patches. Weigh about 1000lbs when mature. Known for being excellent feed to milk converters (consume 20-30% less feed than other dairy breeds) but still have higher fat content. Also known for producing a golden color milk (beta carotene binds to fat)

Guernsey

Jersey

Originally produced on an island off the coast of Normandy, France and has a fawn coat color. Generally weigh less than 1,000lbs when mature. Known for smaller body, calving ease, and for the fact that they do well in extreme heat

Jersey

Shorthorn

Originated in England and are red, white, or roan. Weigh about 1300lbs when mature. Known for being both a beef and dairy breed

Shorthorn

Holstein

The black cattle of the Batavians and white cows of Friesians (today is an area in Germany) were bred and strictly culled to produce animals that were the most efficient, producing the most milk with minited feed resources. These animals genetically evolved into the efficient, high producing black-and-white dairy cow known as the Holstein-Friesian, but we shorten it to just “___”. Weigh about 1500lbs when mature. Known for high milk production

Holstein

60%

when cows are comfortable they will spend “___” of their time laying down

20-50%

Research has demonstrated a “____” increase in blood flow to the udder in cows lying down vs. standing

about 500 gallons of blood flow

equals 1 gallon of milk

Intensive system

this setting wants to MAXIMIZE milk yields; rations high in concentrations (most diary settings in US are this system)

Intensive system includes

• Tie stalls

• Free stalls

• Compost bedded pack

Grazing based system

• Strive to OPTIMIZE rather than maximize milk production

• More pasture-based with additional concentrates as opposed to high concentrates

• IMportant that grazing costs are low because milk production will be lower compared to an intensive setting

Grazing based system advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• less maintenance/cleaning

• more opportunity to move

• decreased feed cost because they are grazing more

Disadvantages:

• less milk production

Bedding should provide

1) Comfort for cows (encourage them to be down)

2) Provide traction (when getting up/down)

3) Cleanliness for cows

4) Cost of bedding

5) provides ease for workers

Compost (wood shavings, sawdust:

• 12-18 initially spread in barn, manure build up gradually

• top 8-12inches needs to be aerated 1-2x/week (clean out rear of stall 2x/day)

• small amounts are added as needed weekly

• 1-3x/year, all bedding removed and spread on crop fields

Geotextile mattresses

• Come in a variety of materials and are filled with rubber crumbs, foam, or water

• Installed and then can be cleaned/removed as needed

Sand

• Generally bed stalls at 8-12 inches deep

Mammary gland

an excretory organ that uses a duct to secrete a substance to the outside of the body

Endocrine glands

are ductless and excrete substances internally (usually into the blood stream)

The udder of a cow

1) 4 independent glands; each one has a duct/teat

2) right/left side separated by medial suspensory ligament (MSL)

3) Forequarters 40-45%

4) Hindquarters 55-60%

Causes increase oxytocin secretion

1) Calf stimulation

• touch - udders

• sound - Bawling

2) People

• touch

How milk is produced

1) Blood supply (from artery) provides nutrients/oxygen to epithelial cells

2) Epithelial cells actually produce milk

3) Hormone oxytocin allows for muscle contraction

4) Milk moves toward teat

Oxytocin

• Produced by the hypothalamus

• Secreted by posterior pituitary

• important for milk let down

Bullock

young, sexually intact male; will be slaughtered at 1-2 years of age

Stag

bull castrated after reaching sexual maturity

4 major sectors

1) cow-calf operation

2) stockers/backgrounders/growers

3) feedlot

4) seedstock producer

Cow/calf producer

• Animals produced primarily for meat

• Segment results in a 5-10 month old animal

• Wean at 6-7 months of age

• Often are crossbred animals

• Will have spring and/or fall calving season

Stocker

• Grow frame (no interested in marbling) on animals prior to finishing at a feedlot

• Animals usually 6-9 months of age while here

• Often use low-cost forages (crop residues) to feed; can be on a dry lot

Feedlot

• Finishing cattle for slaughter; interested in marbling/grades/and weight

• Animals fed heavier concentrates to increase marbling

• Beef cattle finished about 1,100-1,400lbs

Concentrates

grain products; higher in energy, lower in fiber (corn, wheat, soybeans)

Forages

Higher in fiber, lower in energy (grass, hay, haylage)

how often cows are milked

2-3times per day (typically morning and evening)

Herring bone

its a term used to describe the slanted way the cows are aligned to the milking units. (16 cows can be milked at one time)

Cows ankle ID pedometers

Like a ankle bracelets that allow us to keep track of their movement and milking’s.

Reduces the spread of various mammary infections in dairy cows

workers were clean gloves while they are prepping cows before and after milking

Remove any large debris

the cows will be brought into the milking parlor and will have any large debris (like bedding/sand/mud/manure) removed from their udder area; prevents unwanted particles getting getting into milking system

Teat forestripping

handlers will strip each teat from top to bottom of milk present.

1) this allows us to determine whether there is any visually-detectable infection in the udder/teat

2) Also stimulates oxytocin (hormone produced/released by the posterior pituitary in brain) and causes milk letdown

Teat pre-dipping

handlers dunk at least 75% of each teat in a germicidal substance (often an iodine product) and allow it to sit on the teats for at least 20-30 seconds. This is done to reduce the microorganism content in the bulk tank.

Teat wiping

after the designated time, each teat much be wiped to remove the germicidal liquid and dry the tissue before unit attachment. Wipes can be disposable wipes or re-usable (bleached) clothes

Unit attachment

should be applied to teats that are clean, dry, and ‘milk ballooned’ (or full). Units should be placed straight and balanced (otherwise air can enter or the suction simply won’t start). Milking should begin immediately and last around 4-5 minutes

Teat post-dipping

Handlers will dunk at least 75% of each teat in a thicker germicidal substance that will stay on the teat. After milking, part of the teat will remain open for about 15-20 minutes, so we want to reduce the chance that cows lay down within that time range after milking. This reduces that chance that microorganisms could get access to the inside of the teat/udder and cause an infection.

Mastitis

An inflammatory response of the mammary tissue typically due to bacterial infection (which can be spread), but can also be caused by trauma.

SYMPTOMS: milk smells/ discolored, mammary tissue inflamed/redness, not wanting to lie down

2 common ways cows can become infected with bacteria that causes mastitis

1) Transmitted from infected cow to uninfected cow (via fomites like dirty milking units, handlers not changing gloves, etc)

2) Transmitted to uninfected cow via her environment; dirty bedding, feces, moist conditions, etc

Why we want to prevent mastitis in dairy cows

1) Very painful for the cows and its very uncomfortable

2) Milk cannot be used for human consumption due to microbial residues. Additionally, when cows are being treated for mastitis, milk cannot be used for human consumption

3) It costs producers money each time a cow gets mastitis and must be treated; can be $300 to treat a single cow for mastitis. The US along loses $1 billion due to mastitis each year

Calf Behavior

Normal: Moving away from or towards people when approached; might be sleeping but should respond when handlers appear

Abnormal: Not finishing feed; appear less inquisitive or weak; teeth grinding

Eyes assessment

Normal: clear, bright

Abnormal: cloudy eyes or containing any surrounding cloudy discharge; sunken eyes

Ears assessment

Normal: alert and mobile (flicking around as calf listens)

Abnormal: limp or drooping

Nasal discharge assessment

Normal: might appear moist

Abnormal: colored discharge

Umbilical Stump assessment

Normal: dries up around 24 hours of age

Abnormal: moist, painful, warm, bloody or have any discharge

Calf Assessment: Feces check

Normal: little or no feces present on hair of hindquarters; manure should be yellow to brownish in color and sticking together and sticking to bedding

Abnormal: feces coating tail/hind legs; watery manure or blood - tinged manure that slips through bedding; diarrhea=scours

Calf Heart rate

Normal range is 100-140 beats per mintues

Calf Respiratory rate (RR)

Normal range is 30-60 breaths per minute

Calf Skin tenting on neck

Done to test dehydration

Normal: less than 2 seconds to return to normal

Temperature assessment

Normal range is 100.0-102.5 degrees F

Immediately after calf is born

1) Remove any part of the placenta from around the face of the calf so it can breathe

2) Check for breathing. If not, stimulate breathing by tickling the nostrils with straw and vigorously rubbing the calf

3) Calf warming up ( the legs and nose should be drying and warming). It is normal to see a newborn calf shiver, but this should stop after the calf is dried

4) Dunk the umbilical stump in a germicidal solution

5) The calf receives about 8% of its body weight in high-quality colostrum within a few hours of birth (about 3-4L)

EPDs

Means expected progeny difference which provides expectation for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, and marbling score. (based off Bull)

Purebred

specific behavioral/physical characteristics over and over

Hybrid vigor

Advantage for crossbred animals

Means offspring out-performs sire and dam for specific behavior/physical characteristics (ex. Body weight, marbling, speed, height)

Bos Indicus

• From India

• leaner and tougher meat

• hump of back

• later maturity

• fattier milk; lower yield

• more + larger sweat glands; tolerate hot climates

• narrow and more angular hips

Bos Taurus

• From Europe

• More marbling and better meat quality

• no hump

• earlier maturity

• Larger yield but not as fatty milk

• less and smaller sweat glands; better in temperate climates

• wider and more square hip bones

Angus

• Scottish

• Naturally polled (no horns) and either solid black or red

• #1 breed in US

• excellent marbling, good mothers, dystocia issues ( problems giving birth), heat stress

• Cows = 1200lbs Bulls = 1800lbs

Angus

Hereford

• British breed

• Polled variant since late 1800s

• Foraging ability + longevity, increase risk of eye issues, hereditary vaginal prolapse

• Cows = 1700lbs Bulls = 2000lbs

Hereford

Belted Galloway

• Scottish breed

• Double Coat (curly H₂O resistant outercoat + fluffy undercoat)

• Quiet temperament, good mothers, mature slowly (don’t breed until +2 years old)

• Cows = 1200lbs Bulls = 1800lbs

Belted Galloway

Simmental

Charolais

Brahman

Simmental

• Swiss breed

• Notice the colored hair around eyes

• easy calving, meat quality, milk producers for calves, increase mastitis

• Cows = 1900lbs Bulls = 2800lbs

Charolais

• French breed

• All white/cream

• Efficient feedlot gains, meat quality, slower to mature, poor temperament

• Cows = 2000lbs Bulls = 2200lbs

Brahman

• Bos Indicus breed

• Hump on back, loose skin

• Small calves

• Often used to cross with Bos taurus breed (advantage is for greater heat tolerance)

Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD or BVDV)

A) Causes early embryonic death/abortion, and fetal malformations if cow infected before day 40

B) If a cow is infected from day 40 -120, she will have a persistently infected calf or PI calf.

(LOOK AT NOTES)

How BVD gets into herd

• replacement animals (from auction)

• No quarantine time

• Not having strong vaccine program against BVDV

• Contaminated semen

Screwworm

(New World screwworm); found in Western Hemisphere (mainly South America and Central America) Enter wounds/body orifices andfeed on live tissue.

Screwworm life cycle

1) Female mates with male ONLY once

2) Female attracted to warm blooded animal; eggs laid in wound/mucus membrane; Hatch

3) Larva feed for 5-7 days

4) Drop off animal and burrow into soil (2-60 days)

5) Adults emerges; can fly over 125 miles

How to control the population of blow flies

Sterile Insect Techniques (SIT)

• male flies are mass-reared and then exposed to gamma rays (irradiation) that damages chromosomes in sperm (infertile)!

• Release sterile males “breeds” female but she can’t actually lay fertilized eggs

Liquid Nitrogen tank

store semen in

Ob chain + handle

wrap around calf’s legs to help pull a stuck calf