Lecture 6: Beef Production Medicine Flashcards

1
Q

What are some advantages of beef

A
  1. Convert unusable substances to human food
  2. Graze on ground that can’t be used for farming
  3. Make use of by-products
  4. Don’t compete directly with humans for grain
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2
Q

What is the most important agricultural industry in U.S.

A

Cattle/beef production

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3
Q

what is the cattle cycle

A

Economic decisions every 8-12 years, describes cattle producers decision to grow or decrease herd size

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4
Q

What is the cattle cycle influenced by

A
  1. Cattle prices
  2. Input costs
  3. Gestationperiod
  4. Time needed to raise calves to market weight
  5. Climate
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5
Q

What are the two sectors of beef cattle production

A
  1. Cow calf production
  2. Fed cattle production
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6
Q

What is the cow-calf production

A

Herd of beef cows raising calves until weaning

Require range/pasture forage

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7
Q

What is the fed cattle production

A

Grain fed beef, steers and heifers from cow and calf productions—> slaughter

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8
Q

What is the final stage in the fed cattle production feedlot

A

Cows get grain, hay and silage over a period of 90-300 days to gain ~4lbs/day

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9
Q

What are the two types of cow-calf production

A
  1. Purebred/seed stock heifers and bulls that are future replacements
  2. Commercial heifers and steers that go to feedlot
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10
Q

What is the ideal BCS for breeding heifers

A

6

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11
Q

You should breed beef heifers at __% mature body weight which is about __lbs

A

65%, 715-845lbs

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12
Q

when should we breed beef heifers compared to mature calves and why

A

1 month (21 days), helps heifers with first calving since they have higher risk of dystocia and give calves advantage

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13
Q

What is an EPD sire

A

Information on sire that tells you the size calves they usually produce, calving ease, weight, muscle vs fat

**helps you pick animals that produce less dystocia

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14
Q

Beef heifers calve at __% of body weight ~ ___ months old

A

85%, 22/23 months old (2yrs)

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15
Q

What is the goal for # of calves for beef heifer to have per year

A

1

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16
Q

What is the goal for # calves for beef heifer to have in lifetime

A

7 calves

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17
Q

When is the beef calving seasons

A

Spring +/-fall

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18
Q

What is the ideal length for calving season (time for heifers and adult cows to have calves)

A

60 days (2 months)

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19
Q

What are some challenges that occur during calving seasons

A
  1. Dystocia
  2. Neonatal losses
    - starvation
    - diarrhea
    - septicemia
    - infected joints
20
Q

What are the 3 programs cows can enter after they are weaned from their moms

A
  1. Stocker
  2. Backgrounding
  3. Preconditioning
21
Q

What is the stocker program

A

Weaned calves graze on grass on 3-4 months, cheap gains and then generally sold at heavier weights to feedlots

22
Q

What is the preconditioning program

A

30-60 days on drylot (preconditioning for feedlot)
- deworming, dehorning, vaccinating, castrating

23
Q

What is the backgrounder program

A

Weaned calves put on dry lots/pens for 90-120 days to learn how to eat grain out of feed bunks

*don’t necessarily get castrated, dehornted, etc.

24
Q

What are the benefits to the 3 programs after being weaned

A
  1. Give immune system time to get used to stressful events
  2. Economic standpoint- sell cows at higher weights=more money
  3. Add value to cattle by going through these programs
25
Q

What happens once cattle arrive at feed lots

A
  1. Rest, eat for a few days
  2. Processed- vaccines, dewormed, castrated, dethroned, anabolic implants, ID, weight (some of these things may have been done at post weaning programs)
  3. Records
  4. Get animals ready for harvest- mainly grain based concentrate diet
26
Q

What are anabolic implants

A

Implants put at base of the ear with steroid hormones to help with average daily gain (ADG)

27
Q

What are beef cattle typically fed at feedlot

A

Grain

28
Q

At a feedlot what is the most common health issue we see

A
  1. Respiratory disease
29
Q

Why is respiratory disease the biggest problem

A

Cows are transported within close quarters for long periods of time

30
Q

What are penriders

A

Production staff riding on horses through feedlots to monitor for disease

31
Q

What clinical signs are penriders looking for

A
  1. Nasal discharge
  2. Chewing cud
  3. Coughing
  4. Dirty noses
  5. Isolation (ex: not getting up to eat)
32
Q

What are the keys to profit in beef cattle

A
  1. Buy low
  2. Sell high
  3. Keep them alive
  4. Make them gain weight
33
Q

What is price of live cattle based on

A

Current market and perceived quality

34
Q

what is the dressed weight of a cow

A

Carcass weight/handing weight

35
Q

What is grid pricing

A

Pricing based on quality grade, yield grade, other premiums/discounts

36
Q

What is the goal of antemortem and postmortem inspection

A

Accept animals that are healthful, safe from harmful chemical/drug residues and capable of being converted into wholesome product for the consumer

37
Q

Who is responsible for antemortem and postmortem inspection

A

FSIS-Public health veterinarian

Food inspectors

Consumer safety inspectors

38
Q

What are you looking at for antemortem inspection

A
  1. Facilities
  2. Identification
  3. Animals (must be ambulatory)
39
Q

What are the different outcomes of antemortem inspection

A
  1. Passed (slaughtered/certified)
  2. Suspect (further observation)
  3. Condemned
40
Q

The animal must be __before exsanguinated

A

Unconscious

41
Q

What are accepted methods of humane slaughter in beef cattle

A

Captive bolt, fire arm, electrical stunning

42
Q

What quality grades of meat are not generally for retail so sold as ground beef, soup, frozen meals

A

Utility, cutter and canner

43
Q

What are the quality of grades based off of

A

Marbling, maturity

44
Q

What are the quality grades in beef grading system

A
  1. Prime
  2. Choice
  3. Select
  4. Standard
  5. Commercial
  6. Utility
  7. Cutter
  8. Canner
45
Q

What are the yield grades

A

1-5