cattle industry

Question 1

what is a dairy cow kept for?

Answer 1

milk production

Question 2

what is a beef cow kept for?

Answer 2

• meat production ( can be native or continental)

Question 3

define crossbred

Answer 3

an animal that is a produce of the crossing of 2 or more breeds

Question 4

what is the lifecycle of a dairy cow

Answer 4

pre- weaning calf->weaned->bulling heifer->bred heifer->springer heifer-> calving -> fresh cow ->high group -> mid group-> low group -> far- off dry cow-> transition cow -> calving-> fresh cow

Question 5

life cycle of a beef cow

Answer 5

pre weaning calf-> weaned calf-> goes yo either store animal and then fattening animal or goes from weaned calf to breeding heifer -> block service of cows -> close up cow

Question 6

how many cattle in the UK DEFRA 2021?

Answer 6

aroud 9.4 million

Question 7

how many breeding beef cows?

Answer 7

around 1.4 million

Question 8

how many tonnes of beef exported AHDB 2021

Answer 8

112,000

Question 9

what % of people in the uk regularly eat/drink dairy products?

Answer 9

98%

Question 10

how many milking dairy cows are there?

Answer 10

around 1.9 million

Question 11

how many dairy farms are there?

Answer 11

around 13,200

Question 12

how many beef farms are there

Answer 12

around 26,000

Question 13

how much £ are dairy heifers compared to dairy cows?

Answer 13

dairy heifer = £1500
dairy cow = £1100

Question 14

how much does a cull cow weigh?

Answer 14

500-800kg

Question 15

what is the price of a dairy cull cow compared to a beef cull cow?

Answer 15

dairy cull cow = 155p/kg
beef cull cow = 188p/kg

Question 16

why do milk prices drop in the spring?

Answer 16

a lot of milk at that time so value decreases

Question 17

what is involved in organic cattle production?

Answer 17

Free range (at pasture whenever conditions allow, average 200 days/year)

Fewer pesticides and no artificial fertilisers

Strict rules on antibiotic use (in US can’t use any)

Reduced production in milk and meat

Higher market value (milk 40p/l)

Question 18

What is the Farm Assurance Scheme?

Answer 18

Red Tractor (accepted by all major buyers)

Monitor what consumers value and translate into on-farm standards (welfare, food safety, traceability, environmental protection)

Question 19

name ome farm accredidation schemes

Answer 19

• premium cattle heath scheme
• BVD free
• CHeCS- cattle health certification standards

Question 20

What zoonotic organism causes bovine TB/bTB?

Answer 20

mycobacterium bovis

Question 20

What zoonotic organism causes bovine TB/bTB?

Answer 20

mycobacterium bovis

Question 21

What animals can carry bTB?

Answer 21

Badgers

Deer

Goats

Pigs

Camelids (llamas, alpacas)

Other mammals

Question 22

What are the signs of bTB in cattle?

Answer 22

Chronic respiratory symptoms (clinical signs rare)

Question 23

How can you reduce the number of human bTB infections?

Answer 23

Routine pasteurisation of milk

Question 24

What country in the UK is bTB free?

Answer 24

scotland

Question 25

What country in the UK is bTB free?

Answer 25

Skin test (comparative, uses bovine and avian TB, do test and come back 3 days later to read results, put on neck)

Blood test (gamma interferon)

Question 26

What happens due to proactive badger culling in a zone?

Answer 26

23% reduction in cattle TB

Question 27

What happens due to a reactive badger culling in a zone?

Answer 27

27% increase in cattle TB