test 4 Animal science

ethology

the study of animal behavior

intinct

reflexes and behvior patterns, inherently present at birth

habituation

lack of response to a repeated stimulus

conditioning

An animal makes an association between a previously neutral stimulus or behavior response and a previously significant stimulus.

pheromones

Chemical substances that can attract opposite sex.

flehmen

when males lifts its head and curls its upper lip

flight zone

Most animals have a “zone” around them… when someones is in that they will react

sexual behavior

cows exhibit estrus and allows other cows to mount them

caregiving behavior

Most often materal, although there are exceptions. (licking offspring to stimulate blood circulation, can be aggresive to protect young)

care-soliciting behavior

young animals cry for help when disturbed, distressed, or hungry

agnostic behavior

fight or flight, aggressive or passive. Can be interactions with other animals or humans (uncastrated males are known for fighting wth other animals) (associate bad events with people or objects nearby)

ingestive beahvior

Ruminants regurgitate, chew their cud, and reswallow. (animals in extensive operations tend to stay closer to water)

eliminative behavior

fecal or urine deposition (shrink: weight loss transit 3% much during the first hour)

shelter-seeking behvior

ruminants seek shady areas for rest and rumination during warm temperatures

investigative behavior

Many animals are curious and want to investigate new things. Depending on the situation, the same object might be intriguing or threatening.

allelomimetric behavior

Animals of a species tend to do the same thing at the same time. Walking to the water at a similar time each day, and following the leader.

communication

some individuals exchange information between individuals trasnfer of odor, cattle are preceptive to sight.

abnormal behavior

cannibalistic behavior, buller-steer syndrome

issues facing animal ag

sustainability and natural resource management, food safety, animal well-being, and diet-health issues

challenge- feeding 9 billion

increase food production

reduce feed loss

if reduce ½ it would increase food availability by 15-25%

sustainability

method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently deamged

food waste in developing nations

food chain issues, poor harvest, storage, transportation, and processing infrastructure

food waste in developed nations

food retail, food service, or in homes

french study

diet centered on fruits and vegetables would have a lower environmental impact than a diet centered on animal products as the center of the plate items

total green-house gas emissions for each product

calculated on a per 100 grams of food production

when the comparison was made on a 100-kcal of energy inatake basis

The advantage of the plant-based diet was eroded, and any potential environmental advantage was negated

as residential and urban uses of land increase into traditional farming areas

the potential for conflict tends to increase

19.5%

is cropland

26%

is grasslands and pastures

29%

of the US is forested

additional 13%

is preserved/protected areas

forest acres ___ in the US by 17 million acres between 1987-2002

increased

reducing erosion

is important on a global basis and agriculturists in the US have initiated several erosion control measures

with improved plant genetics and precision agricultural techniques

US corn production doubled in the 30-year period from 1980 to 2010, but with increased effectiveness related to fertilizer application rates.

waste mangement issues

farrow-to-finish, confinement facilities, dairies, and feedlots

odor and noise regulations

handled by state and local regulations

water used in 3 categories

production and management of livestock, processing of meat, milk and eggs, irrigation to produce feedstuffs

water usage by livestock production and processing activities are

less than 1% of US freshwater withdrawls

freshwater usage for irrigation of crops fed to poultry and livestock in the US account

for approximately 9% of total freshwater withdrawls

code of ethics

a statement of values and ethics

the perspective continuum ranges from the extremes of

animal exploitation to animal liberation

animal rights

Groups advocate that animals have rights that include not being consumed, used in sport or research, or kept as pets or companions, and equal rights under the law.

animal liberationists

very extreme groups that extend the animal rights agenda in violent ways and believe that their cause is so justified that any means used to advance that cause are acceptable.

good shepherd

a symbiotic relationship where animals help provide for human beings, but that people have a deep responsibility to provide good animal care and to utilize managment practices that assure well-being

animal control groups

Include organizations at all levels of government that deal with domestic or wild animal control, implementing effective spay and neuter programs for dogs and cats, as well as providing pet shelters and adoption programs

animal welfare

a philosophy that advocates for the humane treatments of animals

humanly euthanize animals

is critical

sick

fever greater than 103 degrees F for cattle that have been treated but have not yet cleared the withdrawl time to avoid tissue residue

thin

body condition score of less 3 or less on an 8-point scale

ocular lesions

or are blind in both eyes

pain

Due to lameness, peritonitis, bone fractures, or other injuries, they should not be transported or marketed.

beef cattle

over 250 breeds

composite breeds

still being developed today

purebreds

proving ancestry, “register” in breed organization

terminal breeds

excel in growth rate and muscularity

dual-purpose breeds

breed with above average performance in both paternal and maternal traits

maternal

breeds with superior performance in fertility, calving ease, and reproductive performance

Bristish breeds

angus, red angus, hereford, shorthorn

continental or european breeds

charolais, simmental, limousin, gelbvieh

brahman and brahman cross breeds

american brahman, brangus, simbrah, snat gertrudis, beefmaster

fewer than 20 breeds

have a widespread impact on national herds

selection is used for

genetic selection

the most economically important traits of beef cattle

reproductive performance, weaning weight, post-weaning growth, feed efficiency, carcass merit, longevity, conformation, freedom from genetic defects

percent calf crop weaned

90%+

calving season

<90 days

weaning weight

adjusted 205-day weight (heritability of 30%)

post weaning growth

adjusted 365-day weight (highly heritability of 40%)

Sire selection accounts for to of the genetic improvement over several years

80 to 90%

EPD (expected progeny difference)

genetic potential based on an individual’s performance and the performance of related animals; expressed as a + or - indicating the genetic transmitting ability of a sire

most commercial producers use

crossbreeding

design a crossbreeding system to

maximize heterosis

most popular breeds in US IN ORDER

Angus, charolais, hereford, simmental

three types of feed and managing beef cattle

cow-calf, stocker/ backgrounder, and feeder

enterprise budget

keeps tracks of costs and returns

average cow-calf enterprises are ___ every year

NOT

body condition scores

should be used to monitor nutritional status- separate by score to “correct” scores

use a cross-breeding system to maximize

heterosis

all nutrients are important, but ____ tends to be a primary nutritional factor

energy

creep feeding

will increase weaning weights but at a cost

forage available

The cow influences weaning weight.

annual cow cost

is difficult to lower and varies dramatically across region and across enterprises

feed costs

largest part of annual cow costs (50-70%)

labor cost

15-20% of annual cow costs

interest

10-15%

miscellaneous costs

fuel, machinery, taxes account for <20% but make up over 40% of the difference between high and low cost producersr

region is important

Producers in the north central, northern plains, and west tend to have larger herds and better weaning percentages and weights, and tend to use more management. c

commercial feedlot

typically have more than 1,000 head capacity

farmer-feeder

typically has less than 1,000 head capacity

commercial feedlots

obtain and analyze more records and information and make more effective decisions

farmer-feeder

utilize cattle as a market for homegrown feeds

reproduction

90% calf crop

birthweight

60-100 lbs

weaning std for reporting

205 days

weaning weight

400-500 lbs

market weight

1,000-1,200 lbsrate

rate of grain on pasture

1.3-2.0 lbs/ day

rate of grain on grain

2.5-3.0 lbs/ day

feed per lb of gain on pasture

9-12 lbs

feed per lb of gain on grain

6-8 lbs