Chapter 12

Lesson 12: Beef Cattle

This Class

  • Lesson Objectives:

    • Discuss the reasons the United States has such a large beef industry and the various locations.

    • Determine the role of genetics in the beef industry.

    • Assess the structure of the beef industry segments in the United States.

    • Assess the basics of managing feeds, popular breeds, and reproductive efficiency.

    • Review common health challenges to beef cattle.

Importance of the Beef Industry

  • Significance:

    • The beef industry is the largest revenue-generating commodity in U.S. agriculture.

    • Gross annual income from beef in the United States is approximately $68 billion.

    • The U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of beef products.

    • Beef accounts for about 39% of animal agriculture's share of total farm cash receipts.

Purpose of the U.S. Beef Cattle Industry

  • The primary aim of the beef cattle industry in the United States is to utilize resources that would otherwise go to waste, predominantly grass.

  • Ruminant Functionality:

    • Beef cattle convert grass, a food humans cannot use, into high-quality food, by-products, and labor.

    • This roughage conversion is cattle's chief contribution to human welfare.

  • Land Usage:

    • The U.S. has approximately 1,022 billion acres of agricultural land, with 60% designated as grazing land.

    • Grazed land includes:

    • Dry lands in the American West

    • Acreages unsuitable for cultivation due to topography

    • Swampy coastal areas

    • Croplands used as pasture

    • Select forests and mountainous regions

  • Also utilizing vast supplies of waste materials from agronomic crops (e.g., cornstalks and wheat straw) and food by-products for cattle feed.

Historical Perspectives on Beef Cattle

  • Introduction to Cattle in the Western Hemisphere:

    • 1493: Christopher Columbus introduces cattle to the West Indies.

    • 1519: Cortez brings cattle to Mexico.

    • 1609: English settlers introduce cattle to New England.

  • Mid-19th Century Popular Breeds:

    • Examples: Shorthorns, Texas Longhorns, Herefords, and Angus emerge as popular choices.

  • Post-WWII Developments:

    • Increased grain agriculture surplus leads to a shift towards grain-fed beef.

    • 1950s-60s: Advances in genetic selection and nutrition promoted larger, faster-growing cattle with better feed efficiency.

Breeds of Beef Cattle

  • Approximately 70 recognized breeds of beef cattle exist, with several commonly used in agricultural production.

    • Common Examples:

    • Angus and Red Angus

    • Hereford and Polled Hereford

    • Simmental

    • Limousin

    • Charolais

    • Gelbvieh

    • Shorthorn

    • Salers

  • Definition of Breeds:

    • Breeds are selected for uniform characteristics beyond what is typical of their species.

    • Increased feedlot development has driven the need for cattle that can reach heavier weights and produce leaner carcasses.

    • The cow-calf sector has also evolved to produce faster-growing cattle for profit.

  • Composite Breeds:

    • Composed of two or more previously established breeds.

    • Example: Brangus, a cross of Angus and Brahman cattle.

Structure of the Beef Industry

  • Seed Stock Producers:

    • Produce breeding stock, both purebred and controlled crossbreeds.

    • High demand for bulls for cow-calf production and selling to other breeders.

    • Market embryos and semen; involved in artificial insemination (AI) stud services.

  • Cow-Calf Producers:

    • This stage involves managing cows for breeding, calving, and lactation.

    • Calf Production:

    • Aim to produce purebred or crossbred calves weighing between 300 and 700 pounds.

    • Commonly operates in every U.S. state, with higher concentrations in western, southern, and Great Plains states.

  • Stocker Operators (Yearlings):

    • Purchase lighter calves from cow-calf producers, typically around 500 pounds.

    • Feed low-cost forage to gain weight before transitioning to feedlots, especially during high grain cost periods.

  • Feedlots (Finishing Phase):

    • Cattle typically weigh between 600 and 850 pounds at this stage.

    • Cattle spend 120 to 150 days in feedlots to reach market weights.

    • Top five states for feedlots: Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Colorado.

    • Commercial vs. Farmer Feedlots:

    • Commercial Feedlots: Large capacity (1000+ cattle); increasingly located near cow-calf operations.

    • Farmer Feedlots: Smaller capacity (less than 1000 cattle); may require supplemental feeding.

    • USDA Grass-Fed Standards:

    • Animals must be fed only grass and forage throughout their lifetime; no grains allowed, with exceptions for certain by-products.

    • Grass-fed cattle typically grow slower but experience fewer health problems compared to grain-fed cattle.

  • Slaughter and Meatpacking:

    • At slaughter, cattle typically weigh between 900 and 1250+ pounds.

    • Finishing Types:

    • Immediate Finishing: Full diet of grain until harvest.

    • Deferred Feeding: More roughage and less grain until harvest, transitioning to feedlots for finishing.

Genetics and Reproduction

  • Major Areas of Consideration in Cattle Breeding:

    • Reproductive efficiency

    • Mature size

    • Calf growth

    • Maternal performance

    • Carcass traits

  • Reproductive Management Goals:

    • Aim for one calf per reproductive female per year.

    • Heifers:

    • Should be bred safely within 85 days of calving.

    • Ideally should weigh 65% of adult weight at breeding.

    • Bulls: Subject to breeding soundness evaluations and recommended semen testing before the breeding season.

  • Artificial Insemination (AI):

    • Involves collecting sperm from bulls to inseminate cows; one ejaculate can be used on 500+ cows; can also be sex-selected.

    • Cows are often synchronized in estrus to coordinate calving periods effectively.

  • Calving:

    • The process of birthing calves should occur within a 40 to 60-day window to optimize resource use.

    • Most producers prefer to calve in the spring to reduce feed and labor needs.

  • Castration:

    • Refers to the removal of testicles in male animals, producing a steer.

    • Castration methods include surgical removal or bloodless techniques.

Nutrition in Beef Cattle Production

  • Focus on maximizing nutrition from forages and roughages, supplemented to meet nutrient needs.

    • Examples of feeds include hay, corn silage, and pasture grasses.

    • Stocker and Dry Cows: Require high-quality forages and energy/protein supplements.

    • Pregnant cows need a 10 to 15% increase in protein in the last 45 days of pregnancy.

  • Feedlots:

    • Require high-quality feeds; initially, cattle receive hay with supplements, then switch to high-energy feeds for optimal weight gain.

  • Seed Stock: Similar feeding but with additional supplements required throughout the lifespan.

Health Challenges in Beef Cattle

  • A herd health management plan is necessary to mitigate animal loss from diseases and parasites.

  • Common Health Issues:

    • Calf Diarrhea (Scours):

    • Occurs in young calves (less than 2 months), leads to dehydration.

    • Causes include infectious agents (e.g., E.coli) and non-infectious issues like unsanitary feeding practices.

    • Bovine Respiratory Disease:

    • The leading cause of mortality in stocker and feedlot cattle, accounting for 50% of feedlot deaths.

    • Symptoms range from upper respiratory infections to pneumonia.

    • Blackleg:

    • A fatal disease with symptoms such as lameness and rapid deterioration, often preventable via vaccination against Clostridium.

    • Bloat:

    • Resulting from excessive gas in the rumen, can lead to heart and lung compression.

    • Two types: Frothy bloat (due to lush pastures) and free-gas bloat (from sudden diet changes in feedlots).

    • Prolapse:

    • Abnormal repositioning of body parts, classified into vaginal and uterine types.

    • Can arise from pressure during pregnancy or complications during calving.