beef test

All black hair, can have white behind the navel or sheath
→ Angus – Known for solid black coats, may have small white areas underneath.
Red with white face, white neck, white socks, white tail switch
→ Hereford – Very recognizable red body with white face and markings.
All red, all white, red and white, or roan
→ Shorthorn – One of the only breeds with roan coloring.
Black or brown with a white belt
→ Belted Galloway – Famous for the white belt around the middle.
Can be any color but usually has white on the face
→ Simmental – Often red or tan with white face.
Light red (orange) or brown
→ Santa Gertrudis – Developed in Texas, heat tolerant.
Any color and have long skinny horns
→ Ankole / Ankole-Watusi – Known for very large horns.
Usually a dark red color with horns of great diameter
→ Texas Longhorn – Extremely wide horns.
All white or cream colored with a pink nose
→ Charolais – Large, muscular, light-colored cattle.
All white with black nose, hooves, around eyes OR all black
→ Chianina – Very tall breed, can be white or black.
Can be red and white, black and white, mostly black
→ Maine Anjou – Large framed breed with varied color patterns.
Can be any color but will always have a large hump on their top neck
→ Brahman – Heat tolerant, Bos indicus breed.
Usually a light to dark grey color and extremely heavily muscled
→ Limousin – Known for heavy muscling and efficiency.
Always dark red with very loose skin around neck, brisket, and sheath
→ Santa Gertrudis – Loose skin helps with heat tolerance.
Small in size, yellow to light reddish hair color, long hair and horns
→ Scottish Highland – Long hair, cold-hardy breed.

PART 2: True or False

Heterosis is the reason producers crossbreed cattle.
True – Crossbreeding increases hybrid vigor.
Bos indicus cattle are well suited for the south and southwestern United States.
True – They tolerate heat and insects well.
Beef cattle production in the US is the number 1 agricultural enterprise.
False – Other sectors (like crops) rank higher nationally.
The US produces 25% of the world beef supply with only 10% of the world’s cattle.
True – Shows high efficiency.
Cattle breeds are one of two species, Bos taurus or Bos indicus.
True
Purebred cattle associations require registration and verification of a purebred.
True
Polled cattle are those that have the ability to grow horns.
False – Polled means naturally hornless.
The US produces all of the beef that it consumes.
False – The US imports some beef.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is also known as Mad Cow Disease.
True
Texas is the number 1 state in beef cattle production.
True
The average American eats 75–85 lbs of beef each year.
True
Yield grade deals with boneless, trimmed retail beef cuts.
True – Yield grade measures usable meat.
To cull is to remove an animal from the herd.
True
A legume is a high quality feed item for cattle.
True – Examples include alfalfa and clover.
The first milk from a cow is called colostrum.
True
Scours affects all cattle, both young and old.
False – Most common in calves.
It is better to prevent health problems than to try to cure them.
True
Legumes are not part of a cattle diet plan.
False – They are important feeds.
Flushing is the placement of a viable embryo into a cow’s uterus.
False – Flushing is increasing feed before breeding.
Implants are placed in a calf’s neck.
False – They are placed in the ear.
Parasites do not reduce production and profits in the beef industry.
False – Parasites lower performance.
The most effective way to feed cattle is on pasture.
True
Cow–Calf OperationPurpose: Produce calves
This is the starting point of the beef industry.
Producers keep breeding cows and bulls (or use artificial insemination).
Cows give birth to calves, usually in the spring.
Calves stay with their mothers and nurse milk.
When calves are about 6–8 months old, they are weaned and sold.
Key focus: Reproduction, calving, and healthy calves
2. Stocker (or Backgrounding) OperationPurpose: Grow calves bigger before finishing
Producers buy weaned calves from cow–calf operations.
Calves are fed grass, pasture, and forage-based diets.
The goal is to increase weight and muscle without adding much fat.
Stocker cattle are usually kept until they reach 700–900 pounds.
Key focus: Growth, frame size, and muscle development
3. Feedlot (Finishing) OperationPurpose: Finish cattle for market
Cattle are placed in feedlots to gain weight quickly.
They are fed high-energy grain diets (corn-based).
This stage adds fat and marbling, which improves meat quality.
Cattle stay in feedlots for about 4–6 months.
Once finished, cattle are sent to slaughter.
Key focus: Weight gain, efficiency, and meat quality
4. purebred OperationPurpose: Improve genetics
Seedstock producers raise purebred or registered cattle.
They sell breeding animals (bulls, replacement heifers, semen, embryos).
These cattle are selected for traits like:
Growth rate
Carcass quality
Fertility
Disease resistance
Key focus: Genetics and breed improvement
Prime → Choice → Select → Standard → Commercial → Utility → Cutter → Canner
Corral: A fenced area used to gather, hold, and sort cattle safely.
Head gate: A device that gently holds a cow’s head still so treatments can be done safely.
Squeeze chute: A narrow chute that holds a cow in place to prevent movement during handling, exams, or treatments.
Rumen – stores feed and allows microbes to break down fiber
Reticulum – traps foreign objects and helps move feed back for cud chewing
Omasum – absorbs water and nutrients
Abomasum – the “true stomach” where acids and enzymes digest food
rotational grazing- a livestock management practice where cattle are moved between different pasture sections to allow grazed areas time to recover. It’s important for cattle producers because it improves pasture health, increases forage availability, and can lead to healthier, more productive animals.