Beef Cattle

Uintah High School Agricultural SciencesMr. Wilson

In your notebooks…

Make a list of ten benefits of beef cattle!Make a list of as many breeds of beef cattle that you can.List all the people you can think of that raise beef cattle.

Beef Cattle

Science term for cattle is what? Bovine Just like Canine is a dog and feline is a cat.

Beef production is big business in Beef production is big business in the U.S. ...the U.S. ...Largest single portion of U.S.

agricultural economy$40+ billion in direct sales18% of total agricultural sales

Evolution of Beef Industry

Early civilization- cattle used for milk and some meat production, Meat was much leaner than today's beef

Grass fed Smaller framed Less muscle

As farming practices evolved and corn belt was formed the beef industry changed.

Evolution of Beef Industry

Railroad also contributed to the centralization of large cattle feedlots in the center of the country

Started “segmentation”

Beef Industry SegmentationBeef Industry Segmentation

“Segmented" -- several producers own a single animal between birth and slaughter.Cow/calf producers - calves born in springStocker cattle - buy weaned calves in fallFeedlots - buy calves at about 1 yearPackers - buy finished calves for slaughterPurebred producers

With segmented ownershipWith segmented ownershipThe cow/calf producer usually doesn't

knowUltimate productivityCarcass quality

NRCS photo by Lynn Betts.

Shift to retained ownershipShift to retained ownershipSince the 1990s, a gradual shift has

taken place.Packers began buying based on

carcass.Cow-calf producers investing in

breeding stock more likely to maintain ownership through slaughter.

Geography plays a partGeography plays a partCow/calf producers

Most in Deep South, Great Plains and Mountain West

Usually full-time operationsRoutinely over 200 cowsRequires land for forage

How much land is needed for How much land is needed for each cow/calf pair?each cow/calf pair?Arid Western regions may need 60 acresWetter Eastern regions may need 2 acres

Land is more productiveUse of intensive rotational grazing

Southern climatesPastures grow for more monthsLess stored feed needed

Stocker feedersStocker feedersConcentrated in the Great PlainsMay graze winter wheat through the

winterOnce stockers are sold, wheat produced

for harvest

Most near packing plantsTexas, Nebraska, Kansas and ColoradoTypically hold

tens ofthousandsof cattle

Large-scale feedlotsLarge-scale feedlots

Herds less than 30Feedlots less than 1,000Majority are culled dairy animals and

dairy steersSecondary income

Eastern productionEastern production

Carcass qualityCarcass qualityMany packers buy based on

carcass quality and/orlean:fat ratio

Bonuses for high qualityand lean carcass

Discounts for low qualityand fat carcass

Typical dressing percentage of a beef animal is 55-60%. That means a 1000 steer would yield a carcass weight of around 600lbs.

Photo courtesy Dr. Robert E. Mikesell.

Environmental issues ...Environmental issues ...Overgrazing can lead to erosionIncreased grazing fees for Bureau of

Land Management public grazing landManure management and water

pollution

Environmentally Friendly

Animal Welfare Issues

Advantages to Beef Compared to other animals

Forage is cheaper than feed. Less labor requirements. Low death loss. Adapt well. Good demand for producers,

especially small producers, because

inexpensive.

Disadvantages

Through droughts, cost increases, due to no grass and feeding feed

Don’t convert grass as good as feed. Fewer offspring per year, compared

to other species. High cost to start operation;

Land is expensive Animals expensive $800cow vs. $90 ewe

What is a Breed?

a group of animals that have certain traits in common color size body structure place of origin horned or polled

What is a Purebred?

animals of known ancestry where all parents etc. are of the same breed

Breed associations register purebred animals, develop markets for those animals, and organize breed shows

What is Crossbreeding?

mating animals of the same species, but different breeds

Angus mated to Hereford crossbreed to achieve desired animal

traits

Breeds to take note on in your notebooks!

Angus Simmental Gelbvieh Limousine Hereford Polled Hereford Charolias Brahman Texas Longhorn Beefalo Short Horn Santa Gertrudis Salers Maine Anjou

What are the English Beef Breeds?

• Hereford - Red & white, horned or polled– most popular in the U.S.

• Angus - bred to compete with Hereford– smaller cows and calves– excellent conformation (body type)– mature lighter– resistant to pinkeye & cancer eye (due to black)

• Shorthorn - dual purpose breed (meat/milk)

Hereford

Origin- County of Hereford in England Breeders selected for high yield and

economical production Henry Clay of Kentucky imported the first

Herefords Herefords are registered by American

Hereford Association More Herefords have been registered

than cattle of any other breed.

Polled Hereford

Origin- Iowa in 1901 Warren Gammon, an Iowa breeder

contacted all Hereford association members.

Located 4 Bulls and 10 Cows

Angus

Origin- Scotland in the shires of Aberdeen and Angus.

Earliest records of Angus date to the early 1700’s.

George Grant of Victoria, KS imported four bulls in 1873.

American Angus Association organized in 1883.

Brahman

Origin- from France Hot & humid climates Disease resistant

Charolais

Origin- Charolles in Central France. King Ranch in Texas imported first

bulls into the United States. - large & long body, fast growth

used to increase size of English breeds increasing in popularity due to low

marbling

Santa Gertrudis Origin- King Ranch. - 3/8 Brahman & 5/8 shorthorn. 1920 a bull named “Monkey” was

born. Monkey sired over a 150 useful sons. All present day Santa Gertrudis cattle

are descendents of Monkey the bull. popular in southern U.S. A sire is a father. Sired means to father.

Texas Longhorn

Origin- Spanish Andalusian Cattle Brought by Columbus on his 2nd voyage

1860 estimated 4 million running wild in Texas

Almost became extinct by 1900 Horns spread to 4 feet or more Slow maturing and have high fertility Resistant to disease and parasites

Shorthorn Origin- Around 1600, Tees River

Valley of Northern England. Originally called Durhams. Coates Herdbook was est. in 1822 to

record Shorthorns. Was first cattle Herdbook and served

as a model for other herdbooks that followed.

Originally Dual Purpose

Brangus

Origin- USDA experiment station, Louisiana

3/8 Brahman & 5/8 Angus Adaptable to different climates Good mothering ability Produce desirable carcasses

What are Exotics?

animals not common to U.S. used for increasing calf weights importation laws restrict bringing

exotics into the U.S.

Beefalo

Origin- Canadian ministry of agriculture

Good mothering characteristics Excellent foraging ability

Beefmaster

Origin- Texas Crossing was from three breeds

under range conditions. Shorthorn Hereford Brahman

Belgian Blue

Belted Galloway

Blonde d’Aquintaine

Chianina

Origin- Italy One of the oldest breeds of cattle Tallest breed of beef cattle Short hair that is white to steel gray Terminal breed Low milk production

Devon

Dexter

Galloway

Gelbvieh

Gelbvieh

Originated in Germany Red sometimes black in color Noted for superior fertility and

mothering ability Tend to be extra fleshy under the

throat

Highland

Limousin

Maine Anjou

Originated in France Dark red with white markings or

black Developed by crossing the Mancelle

breed with the Shorthorn breed

Murray Grey

Piedmontese

Pinzgaur

Salers

Salers

Origin- France Fastest growing breed in the United

States Mahogany red to black in color One of the last breeds to be imported

into the United States

Simmental

Originated in Switzerland Oldest breed of cattle in the world Large, powerful breed Brought to the United States in 1971 Orange/Yellow and white to black in

color

South Devon

Tarentaise

Beef Production

Cow-Calf Production: own cows, sell weaner calves

Stocker: buy weaner calves, sell yearlings

Feedlot Finishing: buy calves, fatten, sell to slaughter house

Beef ProductionCow-Calf: most common - need range land – fed lots of

roughages! - calve in spring, sell calves in fall - feed 2# roughages per 100# of cow

weight in winter (extra for cold weather)

Supplement with needed proteins, minerals, vitamins.

Feed best hay to those that need it the most (pregnant, lactating, heifers)

Lots of clean water & free choice salt

Cow-Calf Operations

How does it work?

What type of cattle are used?

When is the calving season?

What’s the Bull’s Job?

How many cows can one bull breed each season?

How many bulls would you need if owned 200 cows?

What is another way to breed your cows?

Heifers: What are these creatures?

When are heifers able to start breeding?

Gestation period of ~283 days (9 months)

Can a cow ever have twins?

Moo-cows get hungry too! What do we feed beef cattle?

Mainly forages- grasses and legumes.

Grasses Bermuda, Fescue

Legumes Clovers, Alfalfa

Pasture free of weeds. Why? It takes on average 6-9 lbs of

feed to produce one pound of beef!

Supplements

Minerals Fed free choice

Creep feeding What is it?

Where are we at in the process?

Calf is born.

Calf is weaned.

Where does it go next?

Backgrounding system

Cattle is fed high quality forages and maybe some grain for about a 4-6 month period.

This is done to increase size of your cattle, as cheaply as possible. Because again grass is cheaper than feed.

Feedlot Finishing

Place calves in feedlot 500-700#

Feed high concentrates (grain) 2-4 months

Slaughter at 1000-1200#

Finishing system

Cattle is fed to slaughter weight here.-start at about 800lbs-finished at 1100-1400lbs-fed for about 150-175 days

Commercial feedlots MidWestern and Southwestern U.S. Fed feed concentrates

-high energy- corn, milo, oats

Nowhere to go but,…

Slaughter House

Finally, beef is sent to grociers to be consumed by us.

Review of Process

Cow calf operator- conception to weaning, 15 months.

Backgrounder- raises weaned calves until they are ready to go to feedlot. 4-6 months

Feedlot- fattens cattle to slaughter weight, usually 5-6 months.

Slaughter House to Grocery store to Table.

Process Review Cont.

Total time require to get beef to the consumer.

From the first thought of the next calf crop to the table, right at or just over 2 years.

From the birth of a calf to the table, right at 16-17 months.

Review

What is a cow-calf operation?

What do we feed?

Where are the beef cattle finished off?

Beef Terminology

A mature male is called a: Bull A mature female is called a: Cow The act of giving birth is called:

Calving Gestation: 283 Days Castrated male is called a: Steer An Immature Female is called a:

Heifer

There are eight wholesale cuts that are then used to make retail cuts.

Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.