Beef + Small Rumin

Midterm #1

Bos taurus

European cattle that are generally hump-less.

Bos indicus

Indian/Zebu cattle that have a hump and are adapted to heat.

Aurochs

The ancestral wild species from which modern cattle are descended.

Cattle domestication timeline

Approximately 6,000–8,000 years ago.

Last aurochs extinction year

1627.

Christopher Columbus

Introduced cattle to the Western Hemisphere in 1493.

Hernando Cortez

Brought cattle into Mexico around 1520–1540.

Texas Longhorn

A breed developed from early cattle introduced into Texas, known for hardiness and disease resistance.

Hereford importation

First Herefords were imported into the United States by Henry Clay in 1817.

Angus importation

George Grant imported Angus bulls from Scotland to Kansas.

Barbed wire patent year

1867.

Barbed wire inventor

Lucien B. Smith of Kent, Ohio.

Beef production chain

Seedstock → Commercial Cow-Calf → Stocker/Backgrounder → Feedlot → Packer → Retailer → Consumer.

Cattle conception to calving duration

About 9 months.

Calving to weaning duration

About 6–8 months.

Stocker phase duration

About 2–8 months.

Feedlot phase duration

About 3–7 months.

Total beef production process duration

About 30–32 months.

Primary product of cow-calf operation

A weaned calf.

Typical weaning weight

About 450–500 pounds at approximately 7 months.

Dressing percentage formula

Carcass weight ÷ live weight × 100.

Angus cow origins

Scotland.

Angus color

Black or red.

Angus characteristic

Known for carcass quality, marbling, good mothering ability, and moderate frame size.

CAB

Certified Angus Beef.

Hereford origin

Herefordshire, England.

Hereford characteristics

Known for hardiness, easy keeping, docility, early maturity, and longevity.

CHB

Certified Hereford Beef.

Limousin origin

France.

Limousin characteristics

Good growth, carcass yield, feed efficiency, and muscling.

Charolais origin

France.

Charolais characteristics

Large frame, heavy muscling, fast growth, feed efficiency, and high carcass yield.

Charolais disadvantage

Calving difficulty.

Simmental origin

Switzerland.

Simmental characteristics

Good growth and being the heaviest milking Continental breed.

Beefmaster origin

Lasater Ranch in Texas.

Beefmaster composition

½ Brahman, ¼ Shorthorn, and ¼ Hereford.

Six traits selected for in Beefmaster

Weight, conformation, milking ability, fertility, hardiness, and disposition.

Gelbvieh origin

Germany.

Gelbvieh characteristics

Fertility, calving ease, mothering ability, high milk production, growth, muscling, medium frame, and docility.

Brangus composition

⅜ Brahman and ⅝ Angus.

Brangus color

Solid black.

Shorthorn origin

England.

Shorthorn import year

1783.

Shorthorn use

Triple-purpose production.

Brahman origin

India.

Brahman characteristics

Hardiness, insect resistance, heat tolerance, loose skin, sweating ability, and good mothering.

King Ranch breed

Santa Gertrudis.

Santa Gertrudis composition

Approximately ⅝ Shorthorn and ⅜ Brahman.

Santa Gertrudis characteristics

Heat and tick resistance, calving ease, mothering ability, milk production, and weight gain.

Maine-Anjou origin

France.

Maine-Anjou characteristics

Large frame, growth, feed efficiency, milking ability, and docility.

Salers origin

France.

Salers characteristics

Hardiness, calving ease, maternal efficiency, and carcass merit.

Texas Longhorn resilience

They have experienced natural selection for about 400 years.

Chianina origin

Italy.

Chianina characteristics

Very large size, feed efficiency, weight gain, and terminal production.

Chianina height

About 70 inches.

Murray Grey origin

Australia.

Murray Grey characteristics

Smaller frame, carcass quality, mothering, milk, growth, and docility.

Wagyu origin

Japan.

Wagyu import year

1976.

Wagyu reputation

Famous for extensive marbling, flavor, tenderness, and juiciness.

Maternal sheep breeds

Selected for breeding-season length, wool, longevity, milk production, and fertility.

Paternal sheep breeds

Selected for carcass traits and growth.

Dual-purpose sheep breeds

Combine maternal and paternal traits.

Merino origin

Australia.

Merino characteristics

Fine wool, large frame, white face, skin folds, and prolificacy.

Rambouillet origin

Spain.

Rambouillet characteristics

Large size, white face, fine wool, and maternal ability.

Lincoln sheep uniqueness

Largest breed with the heaviest and longest fleece.

Romney origin

England.

Romney import year

1904.

Romney characteristics

Long wool, dual-purpose production, and resistance to foot rot.

Dorper origin

South Africa.

Dorper type

Hair/meat breed.

Katahdin origin

Maine.

Katahdin development year

1956.

Katahdin type

Hair/meat breed.

Cheviot origin

England.

Cheviot characteristics

Maternal ability, foot-rot resistance, parasite resistance, and helical crimp.

Dorset type

Dual-purpose.

Dorset uniqueness

Can breed out of season and may be horned or polled.

Hampshire head and legs color

Black.

Hampshire characteristics

Large size, high growth, muscularity, leanness, and fewer multiples.

Romanov origin

Russia.

Romanov characteristics

Extremely high prolificacy and early sexual maturity.

Suffolk origin

England.

Suffolk breeds contribution

Southdown and Norfolk Horned.

Suffolk characteristics

Black head and legs, large size, fast growth, muscularity, leanness, and few multiples.

Texel origin

The Isle of Texel in the Netherlands.

Texel characteristics

Exceptional muscling, leanness, feed efficiency, and use as a terminal sire.

Columbia sheep uniqueness

The first sheep breed developed in the United States.

Columbia development location and year

Wyoming in 1941.

Columbia composition

Lincoln and Rambouillet.

Columbia use

Dual-purpose wool and meat production.

Corriedale origin

New Zealand.

Corriedale characteristics

Dual-purpose production, good carcass quality, and wool.

Corriedale popularity rank

Second worldwide behind Merino.

Finnsheep origin

Finland.