Cattle Flashcards
Methods of cattle restraint
Yoke
Crush
Pen separation
Halter
Gate Trapping
Ropes for casting
Lifting tail to prevent kicking and move them forward
Cow
Heifer
Dry Cow
Bull
Freemartin
Suckler cow
Steer/Bullock
Store Cattle
Busk Calf
Cow = a female who has given birth
Heifer = female that has not given birth
Dry Cow = milk production ceased prior to calving
Bull = sexually mature and entire male
Freemartin = infertile female with characteristics of a male, born as twin to a male
Suckler cow = Cow kept to give birth and rear calves
Steer/Bullock = castrated male
Store Cattle = cow reared for beef from a lower plane of nutrition in winter housing and receives a period of compensatory rapid growth on grazing grass in the spring
Busk calf = calf sold at weaning (6 – 10 months)
At what age are beef cows culled
12-36 months
How much beef does the UK produce
How many cattle were slaughtered in UK in 2020
How much beef does the US produce
900 thousand tonnes
2 million
12 million
Beef from Dairy origin housing and production
Kept in similar conditions to dairy heifers
Weaned at 5-10 weeks or when eating 0.6kg of concentrate
Slaughtered at 13-14 months
Year round calving
Management challenges such as increased feed costs, and increased animal health and hygiene practices
Challenges with calves of different ages and production does not make the most of the grass in the summer
Spring Calving
Bull runs with cows over summer
Often calved straight to grass to reduce need for extra feed
Cow is dry during winter so can be maintained indoors on moderate quality silage
Weather can be unpredictable during calving
Conception rates lower in hot weather
Spring born calves tend to have a lower weaning weight
Spring calves sell for less
Autumn Calving
Winter cows are housed with their calves at foot -> increased labour and feed costs
Autumn calves have a higher market price
Allows for greater BCS at breeding -> earlier breeding and higher conception rates
Weather is more predictable at calving time
Snow and ice can still cause issues when housed
Typically weaned at 9-10 months, 250-350kg
Barley Beef Production
Intensive system
Housed and continuously fed rolled barley
Sent for slaughter at 12 months/500 kg
Rose Veal/Beef
Meat from calves under 8 months (veal) or 1 year (beef)
How many cows and how much milk is produced
Dairy cow population reduction
Yield per cow change
1.9 million dairy cows -> 15billion litres per year
28% population decrease
4->8 litres
Life of a dairy heifer
Dairy heifer stays with mother for 24-72 hours to receive colostrum
Then separated and fed a milk-replacer diet for the next 6-12 weeks
At 10-12 weeks they are weaned (usually once eating 1kg of solid food and has doubled her birth weight)
Now in the non-lactating heifer phase until she is 15 months old (~60% of her mature weight), fed on grass in summer and silage with supplements in winter
Served at 15-20 months (AI typically)
Calve after 9 months (282 gestation period), lactates once calved and joins dairy herd
Dairy Cycle
Cow lactates for 10 months after calving (peak at around 40-60 days)
After 3 months in milk the cow is served again
After 10 months she will be ‘dried off’ (lasts 6-8 weeks)
She will then calve and lactate again
This cycle will continue for 3 or 4 more lactations, milk yield increased with each cycle
Milking Routine
Teats must be cleaned and dried
Different piece for each cow to prevent transfer of mastitis
Before applying cluster, all foremilk must be tested for mastitis
Common Cattle Conditions + Clinical Signs
Mastitis – bacterial infection of udder – clinical signs are changes to milk e.g. watery, discoloured – contagious
Calf Scour – occurs in first few days/months of life – risk enhanced in wet, dirty environments – clinical signs are diarrhoea, dehyrdation and reduced growth rates
Calf pneumonia – occurs in first few days/months - clinical signs are coughing, inappetance, dull, tachypnoea, dyspnoea, nasal and ocular discharge
