Beef Cattle Breeds

Angus

Originated in Scotland; smooth hair coat and polled; black/red in color; high performance in feedlot; high quality carcass

Hereford

Originated in Hereford, England; white-faced with red bodies; white bellied with spotted legs; superior foraging ability; registered

Polled Hereford

Originated in Iowa; unhorned Herefords; descend from purebred horned Herefords; registration elligible

Simmental

Originated in the Simmen Valley of Switzerland; known for milk yield and appearance; black or red in color; produce carcass with no excess fat; high climate adaptability

Limousin

Originated in west-central France; little red hair with lighter circles; small and short head with broad forehead; feed efficiency; lean carcasses

Charolais

White to light straw color with pink skin; heavily muscled;well adapted to many areas; used in cross breeding programs

Red Angus

Originated in Scotland; smooth hair coat and polled; red (recessive) colored; performs well on feedlot; high quality carcass; unregistered

Gelbvieh

Developed from yello breeds; pure black with flat-heads; lumpy necks; good milking ability; good quality carcass; unregistered

Shorthorn

Originated around the Tees River Valley of northern England; red, white or roan; have short horns; good mothers with excellent milking ability

Salers

Originated in Auvergne region of south-central france; used for beef and milk; usually black and polled; good foraging ability on poor range; high weaning weights; used for crossbreading programs

Performance testing

collecting records to select most productive animals

Production testing

measuring brood cow production by evaluating
performance of the offspring

Progeny testing

evaluating a bull by the performance of the offspring

Pedigree

Record of animal’s ancestors including names and performance data (occasionally); account recent ancestors

Herd bull selection

Accounts sire summaries, maternal breeding value (MBV), and expected progeny difference (EPD) in the breeding of cattle

Number of people, changes in people’s meat preference, and income

Beef demand depends on…

Breed selection

Depends on market demand, location fit, breeding practice fit, genetic variation, and selection based on weak/strong traits

Europe

Many modern breeds of beef cattle were developed in _____

True

True of False: There are more than 50 breeds of beef cattle in the U.S.

Beef production

Types for this production include Cow-calf producers, Purebred breeders, and Cattle feeders

Conformation

The appearance of the live animal; factor of beef animal selection along with performance records

Artificial insemination

The placement of sperm in the female reproductive tract by other than natural means

Y chromosome

___________ determines sex in beef cattle.

Castration

The removal of the testicles on bull calves

Marking

Methods of this used on beef cattle are tattooing, ear cuts, and ear tags

Sex, age, and weight

Beef cattle feeding is based on…

Processing methods

Includes pelleting, cubing, crimping, grinding, and rolling

Salt, calcium, and phosphorus

The main minerals needed for finishing are…

High

Cattle with high feed intake typically have (high/low) feed efficiency

Lowers

Good quality pasture (increases/lowers) the cost of gain

Texas, Nebraska, and Kansas

States with high-capacity feedlots are…

Beef production advantages

Advantages include possibly small capital investments, usually low death losses, and high demands for meat

Cow-calf producers

Responsible for keeping a herd of beef cows to produce calves

Purebred breeders

Provide replacement bulls for cow-calf operations

Cattle feeders

Responsible for feeding animals for slaughter

Rotation grazing

Used to maintain the carrying capacity of pasture

Does

Grazing crop residues (does/does not) reduce the cost of feed.

Creep feeding

A way of providing calves with an extra feed of grain, commercial mix, or roughage

6-8 months

The recommended bull weaning age is…

Yearling, mature, and 2-4 years old

Bull age categories include…

Synchronization of estrus

The process of causing all females to come into heat at one time and thus calve at about the same time

Short

A (short/long) calving season is desired for easier herd management.

Castration methods

Methods of this include the use of knives, elastroctor bands, or burdizzos

Dehorning

Process of removing horns from horned animals to increase their value and decrease the space needed for moving and chance of injury to self/other animals

Dehorning methods

Methods of this include the use of chemicals, hot irons, or clippers

Preconditioning calves

The process of preparing calves for the stress of being moved into the feedlot

Backgrounding calves

The process of growing, feeding of calves from weaning to feedlot entry

Over

Commercial cattle feedlots have a capacity of (over/under) 1000 cattle.

Under

Farmer-feeder operations have a capacity of (over/under) 1000 cattle.

Grade

Utilized by the USDA as the basis for market prices

ADEK

Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin…

C and B complex

Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin…