Beef Production

Terms to Know Polled –born naturally without horns Horned –Born naturally with the ability to grow horns….may never grow though Marbling –desirable presence of fat in the muscle; makes flavor of beef

Terms to Know Cutability –amount of available retail cuts from the carcass Dual-purpose breed –traditionally used for both milk and beef production Calving –Process of a cow giving birth

What are the external parts of a beef animal?

External Parts of a Beef Animal

How are cows different than other animals? They are….RUMINANTS…. –any hoofed mammals that chews the cud. Means they have a FOUR compartment-stomach … –Rumen –Reticulum –Omasum –Abomasum

Types of Beef Cattle Operations Cow-calf operation keeping mature cattle to produce calves cows bred every year calves sold 2 ways Feeder cattle operation Keep weaned animals under a year old until sold to feedlot and raised to slaughter weight

Types of Beef Cattle Operations Feeder Calf/Yearling Feeders –producers that feed beef animals to slaughter weight –buy yearling or calves and finish them quickly Purebred Breeders – producers that keep herds for breeding stock and replacement bulls or semen for cow-calf operations

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

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

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

How do I know what beef animals are better than others? Conformation –the shape, form, and type of an animal 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

BCS: Body Condition Scores Use: –Gives you the relative fatness or body composition of an animal –helps to determine the breeding quality of an animal –Best to do before breeding system to determine culls

BCS: Body Condition Scores Areas to –Shoulder, Ribs, Hooks, Pins, Tailhead, Back Bone, Brisket.

BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 2:

BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 3:

BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 4:

BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 5:

BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 6:

BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 7:

Why is Body Condition So Important?

Feeder Cattle Grading

Purpose of the System A) Used as a communication tool to project the optimal slaughter weight of cattle B) Two factors- 1) Frame 2) Muscle

Small, medium, and large frame steers. To yield high and grade choice, each size must be fed to a different weight.

Frame A) Large Steers lbs Heifers lbs B) Medium Steers lbs Heifers lbs

Frame C) Small Steers < 1100 lbs Heifers < 1000 lbs

Muscle A) Number 1 Cattle with beef breeding in them Moderately thick B) Number 2 Cattle that could have dairy influence Slightly thick

Muscle C) Number 3 Thin D) Number 4 Less than thin but still thrifty

USDA No. 1 USDA No. 2

USDA No. 3 USDA No. 4

Inferior Grade A) Conditions 1) Sick calves- They can’t be put in feedlot and perform normally 2) Double Muscled calves Won’t marble & reproductive problems

Beef Selection

4 Areas to Evaluate 1.Muscle- top and rear 2.Length- side 3.Balance- how the animal looks 4.Structure- shoulder, hip, feet and legs

Light muscled vs. Heavy Muscled

Can hair can give a false shape?

Which prospect would you choose?

Beef Cattle Reproduction

Reproduction Terms Pregnancy -- carrying a fetus Fertilization -- the union of the EGG and SPERM nuclei Conception - occurrence of fertilization Ovulation - release of an ovule from the female. Gestation - the time from fertilization or conception of a female until she gives birth

Reproduction Terms Ovaries - FEMALE reproductive gland in which eggs are formed and hormones are produced. –Egg or Ovule- Female Reproductive Cell Teste s - MALE reproductive gland that produces sperm and testosterone. –Sperm- Male Reproductive Cell –Semen - Fluid that carries sperm

Female Reproductive Organs

Function of Female Reproductive Organs Vulva -opening of reproductive tract Vagina - channel for birth and copulation Cervix - divides vagina and uterus Uterus - provides nourishment for fetus Horns of Uterus - where fetus grows Fallopian Tube - where fertilization occurs Ovaries - produces eggs and hormones

Male Reproductive Organs

Function of Male Reproductive Organs Testes - produce sperm and testosterone Epididymis - collects and stores sperm Vas deferens - transports sperm Penis - places sperm in female Cowper's Gland Prostate Gland produce semen Seminal Vesicle Scrotum - protects testes & maintains temp. Sheath - opening of reproductive tract

EPD’s: Expected Progeny Difference Why Do We Use Them? –Best way for producers to predict the relative performance of future progeny(offspring) for a set of traits. –Selection tool that is very easy to use. –Can determine quality of offspring without actually viewing the bull.

Common EPD’s Growth Traits: –BW: the weight of a bull’s calf at birth –WW: measured in pounds of weaning weight and predicts the weight of a bull’s calf at weaning –YW: in pounds of yearling weight and predicts the weight of a bull’s progeny at one year of age –CED: a measure of the ease at which a bull’s calves will be born.

Common EPD’s Carcass Traits: –CW: the expected carcass weight, in pounds, of a bull’s progeny when it is slaughtered at a constant age –REA –Fat Thickness –Marbling