Beef Cattle Andrew Brock From: Modern Poultry and Livestock Production and Agriscience Fundamentals and Applications

Beef Industry About 38% of the total income from livestock and poultry marketing comes from the beef industry. Over 90% of the beef eaten in the U.S. is grown domestic.

Beef industry Small herds are typical, 80% of the cow-calf herds are less than 50 head of cattle. However half of the total cattle grown are grown on farms with over 100 head of cattle. Even though those farms only account for 9% of the cow-calf operations.

Advantages to beef cattle Beef use roughages that otherwise would be wasted for feed. Labor requirements may be low. Capital investment can be small. Death losses are usually low. Beef are adapted to small and large operations. There is a high demand for meat.

Disadvantages to Beef Cattle Feeding cattle is a high risk business. Cattle are not efficient converters of concentrated feeds into meat. It takes longer to develop a cattle herd than hogs or sheep. Modern, efficient operations can require a high investment cost.

Selecting beef cattle Beef cattle are selected based on breed, pedigree and conformation. Individual beef cattle are judged based on conformation. Conformation refers to the appearance of the live animal including skeletal structure, muscling, fat balance, straightness of the animals lines and structural soundness.

Desirable conformation traits Long, trim, deep-sided body. No excess fat on the brisket, foreflank or hindflank. No extra hide around the throat, dewlap or sheath. Heavily muscled forearm. Proper height to the point of the shoulders. Correct muscling throughout the body. Maximum development of the round, rump, loin and rib.

Performance records Performance testing is a method of collecting records on beef cattle herds to be used to determine the most productive animals. It includes both production and progeny testing. Production testing refers to measuring a brood cow’s production by the performance of it’s offspring. Progeny testing refers to measuring a bull’s production by the performance of it’s offspring.

Uses of performance records Cull low production cows. Check on calving percentage (#calves/#cows) Select replacement heifers and bulls. Measure the productivity of each bull. Improve herd management. Improve the quality of calves. Increase the weaning weight of calves. Provide more information to buyers. Provide permanent records.

Selecting a herd bull The bull provides ½ of the genetic makeup of every calf and it is a very important part of the herd. This Black Angus Bull displays all the conformation traits of a good herd bull.

Selecting a herd bull EPDs are a useful tool in selecting a bull. EPD stands for Expected Progeny Difference. EPDs are a measure of the degree of difference between the progeny of a bull and the progeny of the average bull from that breed. Bulls should be structurally sound in order to breed. Bulls with good dispositions should be selected in order to pass down those traits.

Pasture management No more than 2 cows per acre is recommended unless a careful rotational grazing plan is in place. Common cool season grasses for cattle in the south are tall fescue and ryegrass. The fungus free varieties of fescue are preferred, but the fungus is less harmful to cows than horses. Cattle can gain 2-5 pounds a day on a well established Marshall Ryegrass pasture. After seeding let the Ryegrass grow until late December, then allow cows to eat with some hay for roughage.

Fescue and Bermuda

Pasture management Common warm season grasses in the South are bermuda grass, orchard grass and Bahia grass. Bermuda grass is the most common. Cattle usually will not gain as much weight from these warm season grasses. To supplement the warm grasses, mix 25% legumes into the pasture. Clover is the most common, but alfalfa and vetch can be used.

Legumes

Hay and Feed Bermuda hay is the most common and practical hay for cattle. Hay must be cut and baled without being rained on to keep it’s nutritional value. Store hay in a barn and feed in a hay-ring for max efficiency. Corn based supplemental feed is used for cattle. Other grains and soybeans are added as needed. Mineral mixes are available and should be left for free choice of the cattle.

Herd management practices Select purebred cattle from reputable breeders based on pedigree, physical appearance and available records. Isolate new cattle for 30 days to observe for disease and parasites. Provide enough human contact so that cattle can be handled when necessary. Wean calves at 205 days of age and 500lbs. Have proper facilities for the type of operation planned.

Herd management practices One mature bull is required for every 25 cows. Breed heifers to calve at 2 years of age. Provide shelter from inclement weather. Maintain complete and accurate records.

Herd Health program Vaccinate to prevent diseases of local concern. Castrate, dehorn and permanently identify calves at an early age. Approved growth hormone implants can be used on heifers and steers grown for slaughter. Provide supplemental feed when forage is in short supply. Provide access to clean, fresh water at all times.