Beef Production Final

this is the type of age range when heifers reach puberty

6-14 months

this percentage is typically expected for abortions in your herd

3-5

this term refers to calves that are weaned and grown before entering the feedlot

backgrounded calves

this analysis evaluates how changes in inputs affect profitability

sensitivity analysis - changes in variables

• feed costs

• death loss

his program acronym relates to benchmarking cattle performance

GOLD

quality grade favors this type of frame size

smaller (earlier maturing) frame cattle

definition of heterosis

improved performance of crossbreds over purebreds

63 day breeding season exposes cows to how many estrous cycles

3

offspring performance

EPDs

non infectious causes of abortion

• nutrition

• genetics

• dystocia

• stress

• twins

• trauma

• live vaccines

calves placed on grass or forage for growth before finishing

stocker calves

genetic masking

epistasis

immunity passed through mom to calf

passive - IgG’s

under conditioned cattle discounted in the market

green cattle

bull to cow ratio for yearling bull

10-20

labour, equipment, housing etc per head per day

yardage

yield grades favor this type of frame size

larger frame size cattle

4 main types of scours

• protozoa

• milk

• viral

• bacterial

death loss is measured during these 2 times periods

pre weaning and post weaning

equation to calculate weaning rate

calves weaned / cows exposed x 100

acronym strengths, weakness, oppurtunity, threat

swot

formula for RFI

actual feed intake - expected feed intake

these issues with bulls can increase open rates

• poor libido

• injury

• sperm quality

• disease

• poor condition

difficult or abnormal calving

dystocia

3 reasons for crossbreeding

• heterosis

• breed compliment

• dominant & epistatic effect

3 key marketing considerations when selling calves

• marketing considerations

• animal type

• management and nutrition considerations

what does RFI stand for

residual feed intake

4 parts of the breakeven

• purchase price

• sale price

• cost of gain

• performance of cattle

3 main drivers of profitability

• optimizing productivity - think GOLD

• fixed costs

• feed costs
  

3 main factors affecting calf price

• animal type

• nutrition and management

• marketing

at what temp do you check every hour

-20

if warmer than -20 how often are you checking calves

2 hours

order of safety

• you

• calves

• cows

what is the function of progesterone

• support fetal development

• suppress contractions

• maintains pregnancy

what is the function of estrogen

• prepare uterus

• stimulate contractions

• mammary development

what is the function of cortisol

stress hormone that initiates parturition

four functions of a placenta

• exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide

• transfers nutrients to fetus and removes waste

• provides protective barrier

• produces hormones to support pregnancy

3 stages of parturition

• dilation of the cervix

• delivery of calf (active delivery)

• delivery of afterbirth (cleaning)

indicatots of stage 1 paturition

• restlessness

• tail raising

• wideing of outer repro tract

signs that a cow will need assistance based on progress

• slow progress

• no progress

• dystocia

• malpresentation

• struggling to push

managing cow and calf after birth

what is obstetrics

• managing pregnancy

• calving

• recovery

what is primiparous

a female giving birth for the first time

what is a uterus

hollow organ in female mammals where offspring are conceived and gestated

what is myometrium

smooth muscle layer in uterus creates contractions during labour

what is endometrium

• inner lining of the uterus

• supports placenta and developing calf

when can abortions occur

when moving cattle from pasture to pasture

what analysis evaluates how changes in inputs affect profitability

sensitivity analysis

target for calving distribution

• 70% bred by first 21 days

• 85% bred by second 21 days

• 96% bred by end of season

what is the amnion

• membrane formed from chorion that surrounds and encloses fetus

• filled with fluid to protect

growth target for heifers

60-65% of mature weight

what is a caruncle

button area of the uterine endometrium on the maternal side of the placenta

times during a cows production cycle that are low nutrient risk

• weaning

• months leading to early fetal growth

post calving management to maximize success

• examine cow

• antibiotics of necessary

• make them bond with the calf

• check for twin

what is a cotleydon?

button like structures on chorion; fetal side of placenta

what is the placenta

organ that allows nutrients, oxygen and waste to pass between dam and fetus

functions of the placenta

• exchanges oxygen

• transfer nutrients to fetus and remove waste

• protective barrier

• produces pregnancy supporting hormones

what are the 5 pre calving managements

• pre calving nutrition

• calving site selection

• breeding animal selection

• prep of calving supplies

• health and parasite control

what is the gestation of a cow

283 days (9 m, 9 day)

Tag colours and number range of commercial cows

• cows- white

• heifers- white

• bulls- red

• 100-299

extensive grazing tag colour and number range

• blue - 300 on

purebred tag colour and number range

• green

• 0-99

what are the 4 different types of scours?

• bacterial

• viral

• protozoa

• milk

what are the 3 stages of parturition

1- dilation of cervix

2- delivery - active labor

3- delivery of placenta- cleaning

what is defined as a retained placenta

24hr or more without expelling is defined as retained placenta

what is a breech presentation

head down, feet down

Alberta packing plants

Cargill

JBS

Harmony Beef

what is a backwards calf presentation

back legs sticking out

what is shoulder flexion calf presentation

1 leg back, cup foot and pull leg up

signs for identifying a cow is calving

• tail up

• water bag out

• isolated

• constantly active

• straining

what is normal calf presentation

• front feet first

• nose between front legs

what is the recovery position

all legs facing forward, head between front legs

what is the importance of colostrum

provides IgG’s that provide passive immunity to the calf from the dam

what time is colostrum being absorbed and when is it required

required within the first 4-6 hours of life, by 9 hours the absorption decreases by half and at 24 hrs absorption is minimal

why give selenium

prevent white muscle disease

what to do if there is a uterine prolapse

• leave her down or let her stand still

• don’t chase

• call the vet

3 main drivers of profitability on cow-calf operation

• feed costs

• fixed costs

• optimizing productivity- think GOLD

difference between KPI and benchmark

• KPI- measure what matters

• benchmark - point of reference for measurement

what does a naval infection affect and how is it treated?

easy route for infection into bloodstream

settles in the joints, eyes, brain, heart and liver

treated with antiseptic for prevention

what does GOLD stand for and what are the associated rates?

• G - growth rate (43% of dams weight)

• O - open rate (4%)

• L - length of calving season (63 days)

• D - death loss (4%)

what traits are EPDs calculated on?

• birth

• growth

• maternal

• carcass

why shouldn’t a producer single select for traits?

• ignoring them can cause negative affects in the herd

what are the 5 non-infectious causes of abortions?

• genetics

• nutrition

• trauma

• twins

• stress

what are the 3 infectious causes of abortion

• viruses

• bacterial

• parasites

when is trich a concern?

• in non - virgin bulls

what can a person do to manage abortions

• separate from herd until cause identified

• wrap and freeze dead fetus for diagnosis

what is an EPD?

expected progeny difference - estimated genetic value of an animal at a percent

time between calving and uterine repair

40 days

times during a cows production cycle that are high nutrient risk

• peak milk production

• breeding ‘calving / fetal growth

main causes of retained placenta

• dystocia

• twins

• c section

• abortions

• premature calving

• disease

• nutrition imbalance

how long is a heat cycle

21 days

weaning rate

number of calves weaned / cows exposed

what is the value to objectively scoring BCS

gives a measure of how well cattle are doing on current feed program

calving rate

number of live births / cows exposed

desirable conformation traits

• feminine head (heifers)

• strong topline

• long, lean neck

• smooth shoulders

• neat throat

• deep foresting

• wide loin

• square rump

• smooth muscling

what is the chorion

outermost embryonic membrane part of the placenta

KPI’s to track production

• BW

• assistance rate

• WW

• cull rate

• winter feeding

• bull to cow ratio

• calving distribution

• percent calf crop

KPI’s to track economics

• calf price

• cull cow price

• feed cost

• bull prices

• direct costs

• yardage costs

• other costs

• unit cost of production

how to diagnose abortion

• with the placenta since most bacteria will be retained in the placenta

• try and keep the aborted calf and send for testing if more than one cow aborts

beef industry sectors in North America

• cow calf

• backgrounding

• feedlot

• packing plant

• retailers