Exploring the Beef Industry Lesson

Interest Approach Invite a beef cattle judge into your classroom to talk about beef cattle. Invite a beef cattle judge into your classroom to talk about beef cattle. You may want to put up enlarged pictures of beef breeds to catch students attention. You may want to put up enlarged pictures of beef breeds to catch students attention. Have students come up with 10 questions each for your guest speaker before he/she arrives. Have students come up with 10 questions each for your guest speaker before he/she arrives.

Student Learning Objectives Name the parts of a beef animal. Name the parts of a beef animal. List the common breeds of beef animals. List the common breeds of beef animals. Explain how to select beef animals. Explain how to select beef animals. Identify types of beef production setups. Identify types of beef production setups. Describe beef marketing options. Describe beef marketing options.

Terms Cattle feeders Cattle feeders Conformation Conformation Cow-calf operation Cow-calf operation Cutability Cutability Demand Demand Dual-purpose breed Dual-purpose breed desirable traits desirable traits Feeder calves Feeder calves Frame Score Frame Score Marbling Marbling Performance Performance Polled Polled Purebred breeders Purebred breeders Supply Supply Yearling feeders Yearling feeders

Objective #1 Name the parts of a beef animal.

What are the external parts of a beef animal?

External Parts of a Beef Animal

What are the Beef Animal Meat Cuts?

Beef Animal Meat Cuts

Objective #2 List the common breeds of beef animals.

What are the common breeds of beef animals? Terms Polled - born naturally without horns Polled - born naturally without horns Marbling - desirable presence of fat in the muscle Marbling - desirable presence of fat in the muscle Cutability - amount of available retail cuts from the carcass Cutability - amount of available retail cuts from the carcass Dual-purpose breed - traditionally used for both milk and beef production Dual-purpose breed - traditionally used for both milk and beef production

Originated Originated – Northeast Scotland Most popular purebred beef animal because: Most popular purebred beef animal because: – Vigorous – Perform well in feedlots Polled Polled Solid black or red Solid black or red Known for their marbling Known for their marbling

Originated in: Originated in: – Charolais, France Pink skin Pink skin White to straw colored White to straw colored Large breed Large breed Polled or horned Polled or horned Heavily muscled Heavily muscled Popular in crossbreeding Popular in crossbreeding

P.O. Box Kansas City, Mo (816) Originated in Hereford County, England Originated in Hereford County, England White faces & red bodies White faces & red bodies White markings on switch, underline, below the hocks, and on their crest & flank White markings on switch, underline, below the hocks, and on their crest & flank Horned Horned Easily handled Easily handled Moderate Sized Moderate Sized 2002 Champion Steer Shown by: Jay Blake, Brookston, IN

Started in Iowa by Warren Gammon. Started in Iowa by Warren Gammon. – gathered naturally polled animals and bred them. Same traits as Herefords Same traits as Herefords Eligible for registry in Eligible for registry in – American Hereford Association – American Polled Hereford Association SSF Keysha 949 Shown by: Kasey Herman, Skiatook, OK Polled Herefords

North American Limousin Foundation Englewood, Co (303) Originated in: Originated in: – Southwestern France Wheat to rust red or orange colored Wheat to rust red or orange colored Polled & horned Polled & horned Long & Shallow bodied Long & Shallow bodied Known for calving ease Known for calving ease Also their leanness & large loin eye area Also their leanness & large loin eye area High cutability High cutability

American Shorthorn Association Omaha, Nebraska Originated in: Originated in: – England Dual-purpose breed Dual-purpose breed Red, white, or roan Red, white, or roan Horned or polled Horned or polled Docile Docile Good mothering ability Good mothering ability

Bozeman, MT Originated in: Originated in: – Western Switzerland White face is dominate White face is dominate Red & white spotted or solid red Red & white spotted or solid red Black strains have been developed Black strains have been developed Polled & horned Polled & horned Rapid growth Rapid growth Thick muscled Thick muscled

Houston, Texas Originated in United States Originated in United States Used in crossbreeding programs Used in crossbreeding programs Light gray or red & sometimes black Light gray or red & sometimes black loose skin, large hump over shoulder & large drooping ears loose skin, large hump over shoulder & large drooping ears Resistance to disease, insects Resistance to disease, insects Tolerant to heat, rapid weight gain, quality carcasses Tolerant to heat, rapid weight gain, quality carcasses unpredictable temperament unpredictable temperament Excellent ability to forage on poor range Excellent ability to forage on poor range

San Antonio, TX Originated from: – – a cross between Brahman & Angus 3/8 Brahman & 5/8 Angus Polled Solid black Many of the same characteristics as the Angus & Brahman

Beefmaster Breeders United San Antonio, TX Developed in: Developed in: – Texas by combining ½ Brahman, ¼ Shorthorn, ¼ Hereford Coloration varies but red is dominant Coloration varies but red is dominant Horned or polled Horned or polled Very hardy and good milking ability Very hardy and good milking ability Good temperaments Good temperaments Heavy weaning weights Heavy weaning weights Rapid weight gain Rapid weight gain

Objective #3 Explain how to select beef animals.

How do I know what beef animals are better than others? Terms Desirable traits - traits that are in demand at the market place. Desirable traits - traits that are in demand at the market place. Conformation - the shape, form, and type of an animal. Conformation - the shape, form, and type of an animal.

How do I know what beef animals are better than others? Performance - the ability of an animals to reproduce, wean, gain weight and stay strong. Performance - the ability of an animals to reproduce, wean, gain weight and stay strong. Frame score - measurement based on animals being observed and evaluated at 205 days. Frame score - measurement based on animals being observed and evaluated at 205 days.

How do I know what beef animals are better than others? Select based on the frame score Select based on the frame score – 1 through 10 scale is used for frame score Select based on performance score Select based on performance score – 1 through 17 is used for performance score 9 – 11 below average 9 – 11 below average average average above average above average

How do I know what beef animals are better than others? No one breed is superior in all traits No one breed is superior in all traits Decide on individual priorities & select breed based on them Decide on individual priorities & select breed based on them Commit to good management practices Commit to good management practices – diets nutritious – comfortable living conditions – monitor health concerns – assess breeding stock

How do I know what beef animals are better than others? Choose a reputable breeder & producer. Choose a reputable breeder & producer. Insure animals are free of diseases and genetic problems. Insure animals are free of diseases and genetic problems. Look at records of the animals. Look at records of the animals. Determine if animal will profit your herd. Determine if animal will profit your herd.

Objective #4 Identify types of beef production setups.

What type of production best suits my needs? Cow-calf operation Cow-calf operation – keeping mature cattle to produce calves – cows bred every year – calves sold 2 ways

What type of production best suits my needs? Feeder calves Feeder calves – weaned animals under a year old until sold to feedlot and raised to slaughter weight. Yearling feeders Yearling feeders – calves between 1 and 2 years of age sold to another producer to feed out to slaughter weight.

Cow-Calf Operations Advantages utilizes pastures utilizes pastures less labor intense less labor intense low investment costs low investment costs require little equipment & facilities require little equipment & facilities easy to increase herd size easy to increase herd sizeDisadvantages Large initial land investment Large initial land investment long time in between paychecks long time in between paychecks – budget feed, minerals, vet bills, and other expenses Price may be low when time to sell calves Price may be low when time to sell calves

What type of production best suits my needs? Cattle feeders Cattle feeders – producers that feed beef animals to slaughter weight. – buy yearling or calves and finish them quickly.

Cattle Feeders Advantages production lag is only 4 – 6 months production lag is only 4 – 6 months Quick turn-over time for money Quick turn-over time for moneyDisadvantages initial investment is high initial investment is high – higher feed – housing & equipment more labor & trucking more labor & trucking fluctuating markets fluctuating markets

What type of production best suits my needs? Purebred breeders Purebred breeders – producers that keep herds for breeding stock and replacement bulls or semen for cow-calf operations.

Purebred breeders Advantages provides genetic improvements to herds provides genetic improvements to herds Receive higher values for animals sold Receive higher values for animals soldDisadvantages initial start-up cost higher for genetically superior animals initial start-up cost higher for genetically superior animals time consuming time consuming record-keeping record-keeping

Objective #5 Describe beef marketing options.

What marketing options do I have with beef cattle? Supply Supply – overall amount of product available at a given time. Demand Demand – the amount that could be purchased at a given time for a given price.

What marketing options do I have with beef cattle? Seasonal pricing patterns exists. Seasonal pricing patterns exists. Several ways to market beef cattle. Several ways to market beef cattle. – purebred marketing – local sales barn – sell directly to packers Which one is best for you depends on: Which one is best for you depends on: – marketing costs – convenience – market price

What marketing options do I have with beef cattle? Purebred Marketing done privately or auctions done privately or auctions breed associations hold consignment auctions breed associations hold consignment auctions advertising expense advertising expense payment of auctioneer payment of auctioneer Local Sale Barns convenient to buyers convenient to buyers utilized by small producers utilized by small producers selling fee is based on percent of sale or fixed amount selling fee is based on percent of sale or fixed amount cattle goes to the highest bidder cattle goes to the highest bidder

What marketing options do I have with beef cattle? Sell Directly to Packer large producers large producers avoid paying commission or brokers avoid paying commission or brokers 70% of slaughter cattle going to packers from direct markets 70% of slaughter cattle going to packers from direct markets

Review What are the external parts of a beef animal? What are the external parts of a beef animal? What are the Beef Animal Meat Cuts? What are the Beef Animal Meat Cuts? What are the common breeds of beef animals? What are the common breeds of beef animals? How do I know what beef animals are better than others? How do I know what beef animals are better than others? What marketing options do I have with beef cattle? What marketing options do I have with beef cattle?