Beef cows Flashcards
1
Q
how many beef cattle in aus
A
28.7 million
2
Q
how much beef is exported in aus
A
60-70%
3
Q
value of beef industry in aus
A
- 15 billion
4
Q
top markets in australian beef
A
- japan, South Korea, China, US, Indonesia
- marbling, manufacturing and grass fed all factors
5
Q
common beef breed in aus
A
Bos Indicus
6
Q
why is ausralian beef exported
A
- high quality
- disease free
- lack oof local supply chain
7
Q
where are cattle mostly disrtibuted
A
- north to south coast of east aus
- some in south west
8
Q
what is native pasture system
A
- tropical and subtorpical aus
- non arable land used fro grazing only
- extensive system
- Bos Indicus
9
Q
what is improved pasture system
A
- southern aus
- temeeprate climate
- Bos taurus
- extensive or intensive
10
Q
what is the tick line
A
- northern line where temperature and rainfall allows for more tick diseases to spread to cows
11
Q
zoones where cows produced
A
- pastoral
- wheat sheep zone
- high rainfall zone
12
Q
describe pastoral zone beef production
A
- central aus (north and middle)
- cattle sations
- e.g. anna creek station
- 0.5-1 million hectares
- 50 - 60% aus herd here
- low stocking density
- native pasture
- avg 2600 herd
- low labour
- bos indicus
13
Q
when does breeding occur in pastoral zone
A
- wet seasons when cows most fertile
- uncontrolled
14
Q
describe cattle systems in wheat and sheep zone
A
- 20 -30% herd
- inland coasts, south
- 3000 hectares
- avg 400 head
- fenced
- 1 cow/6.6 hectares
- bos indicus/taurus
- controlled mating
- conserved fodder
- castrate males
- pregnancy testing
- supervised calving
15
Q
describe high rainfall zone cattle
A
- southern coasts + north east coast
- 25 -35% herd
- 950 hectares
- less than 400 herd
- 1 cow/3.4 hectares
- high quality beef
- low transport costs
- Bos taurus
- controlled grazing
- more conserved fodder
16
Q
what pasture do cows eat
A
- annual ryegrass and clover
- perennial grasses
17
Q
when do cows need supplementation?
A
- late summer to mid winter when pasture dies
- protein supplements
- weaners and breeders
18
Q
what is feedlots finished beef
A
- grain fed for a minimum of 60 days in feedlots (pens)
- family owned usually
- 500 to 50,000 head
- 60% are in queensland, 30% in NSW
- national feedlot accreditation scheme (NFAS) = > 400 farms
19
Q
what is a feedlot
A
- coonfined yard area with watering and feeding facilities where cattle completely hand or mechanically fed for purpose of production
- fed once or twice daily
- bunk managers
20
Q
benefits of feedlots
A
- consistent finihsing product
- useful when pasture low
- controlled diet
- easy disease control
21
Q
cattle breeds in Northern Aus
A
- Bos Indicus:
braham
droughtmaster etc
22
Q
bos indicus features
A
- hump
- droppy ears
- dewlap
23
Q
southern aus breed
A
Bos Taurus
24
Q
Bos taurus features
A
British:
- smaller
- more fat
European:
- bigger
leaner
25
phases of beef production:
1. breeding
2. preg testing
3. weaning
4. replacement/ finishing (feedlots or pasture)
26
how often do cows have a calf
1 per year
27
methods of cow joining
controlled:
- north
- less productive
uncontrolled:
- south
- 3 cycles of 9 weeks
- time calving
28
when is pregnancy testing done
- 8-10 weeks
29
when does weaning occur
- 7-8 months old
30
what is breedplan
- genetic slection tool -> estimate breeding value
31
guidlines for cattle welfare includes:
- feed, water, risk management, facilties, equipement, handling, castration, dehorning, spaying, breeding, transport,
feedlots
32
what welfare laws are in place
- code of practice for the welfare of animals (livestock, 2004)
33
impacts of malnutrition
- decreased immunity
- stress
- pregnancy toxaemia
- milk fever (Ca)
- Grass tetany
- vitamin and mineral deficiencies
34
what is lactic acidosis
- overeating carb foods
- sudden intro onto grain-baised diets (common in feedlots)
- reduced rumen pH
- increased fermentation
- weakness, staggers, drunken gait, diarrhoea, weight loss
35
treatment of lactic acidosis
- reduction is key -> slowly introduce grain diet
- empty the rumen (expensive)
36
what is laminitis
- caused by high grain diet for long periods
- laminae in hooves imbalanced
- extreme pain, off feed, difficult walking
- sloughing of hooves
37
how to treat laminitis
- prevent with proper nutrition
- anti-inflammatories
- keep on soft bedding
38
what are liver abscesses
- caused by sudden changes from pasture to high grain diet
- rumen wall eroded
- bacteria gain acces to liver causing necrosis
- abdominal pain
39
how to treat abscesses
- antibotics
- manage acidosis
- transition to grain slowly
40
what is bovine respiratory disease
- VERY serious
- most common
- variety of infectious viruses and bacteria
- coughing, nasal discharge, depression, pneumonia
41
how to prevent/ttreat bovine resp disease
- vaccines, reduced stress
- antimicrobials
42
