1. Animal Production
Beef Cattle
Slide 1

2. Introduction
The beef industry in Ireland is the largest sector of the Irish Agricultural Economy
There are 4.5 million beef animals in the country, producing 0.5 million tonnes of beef per year, of which 80% is exported.
The main export countries are the UK, Germany, Egypt & Iran.
In Irish farms, most beef animals originate from the dairy herd.
These animals originate mainly from Munster and are relocated around the country.
Beef farming, however, has the lowest income per hectare in Irish farms in comparison to other types of farming.
It relies on the use of good spring grass and good silage.

3. Beef Production Systems in Ireland
Calf to beef in two years
Suckler herd
Bull beef production
Heifer beef production
Culled cow finishing

4. Beef Facts Recommended age of mating - 15 months
Recommended body weight at mating –320kg
Gestation Period days
Oestrous Cycle - 21 days
Duration - 18 hours
Put in calf no later than 2.5 months after calving.
Spring calving system
At least 1 calf per year= Reproductive Efficiency: this is the number of calved weaned per 100 cows served
Phylum Chordata
Even toe ungulates (hooves).

5. Breeds of Beef British Hereford Aberdeen Angus Continental Limousin
Simmental
Charolais
Dual Purpose
Friesian
Dairy Shorthorn

6. Comparing bodily characteristics of beef and dairy
Beef Breeds
Dairy Breeds
Bottom line and Underline Parallel
Top Line and Underline converge at point.
Shoulders & hindquarters wide and meaty
Shoulders narrow, hind-quarters narrow.
Head short and wide
Head long & narrow
Back level and well fleshed
Back level but thin
Legs are long, wide and deep
Legs are long, wide strong but not fleshy

8. Beef Breeds in Ireland
Most beef animals in Ireland are Friesian or Friesian crosses.
These are usually from high quality Friesian bull by AI.
These give excellent quality dairy animals as well as good quality bull calves for beef.
Poor yielding dairy cows are usually crossed with true beef breeds like Charolais, whose offspring are all used for beef.

9. Common Beef Breeds - Charolais
Introduced to Ireland in the 1960’s due to the demand for continental style beef.
Most popular sire in Ireland due to ability for fast growth and high weights and production of lean meat
Large animal with excellent conformation, deep body and heavily muscled
They are usually white, but this is incompletely dominant and other variations do arise.
They are frequently calving difficulties and a Charolais should not be served to any cow that has not had two calves at least.
However, Charolais bulls in Artificial Insemination stations are known for easy calving.

10. Common Beef Breeds - Charolais

11. Common Beef Breeds - Hereford
The Hereford are a typical British breed, bred in Ireland for over 200 years.
They are distinguished by their white heads, white stripe on the back of their necks and white underbelly, throat and legs (with a predominant brown / red body)
As well as providing beef, the Hereford is useful as a sire.
The Hereford, when crossed with the Friesian produces the Black White-head, a popular breed for the British market.
Have good conformation, well-muscled, strong legs and feet, early maturing and easy calving

12. Common Beef Breeds - Hereford

14. Common Beef Breeds – Angus
The Angus is smaller than Herefords and are considered the best example of a British breed.
They have the typical barrelled shaped body, small head, short leg and highly developed hind quarters.
They are black in colour and are hornless. These are dominant characteristics when crossed with other breeds.
The meat quality is extremely good, but tend to be quite fat when young.
This affects their selling quality in the continental market.
Friesian heifers are often serviced with an Angus.

15. Common Beef Breeds – Angus

17. Common Beef Breeds – Limousin
This breed is increasing in popularity as a sire for dairy herds, as there is infrequent calving problems.
The Limousin also is known as having an excellent carcase quality, and the ability to put on masses of lean meat quickly.
The Limousin / Friesian offspring are ideal suckler dams.
The red colour of the Limousin is recessive to black colours of Friesians so little red appears in the offspring of such a cross.

18. Common Beef Breeds – Limousin

19. Common Beef Breeds - Simmental
The Simmental is an example of a triple purpose animal (Beef, Dairy and Working) but is most noted in Ireland as a beef breed.
Good milk producers and ideal for suckler herds
The Simmental is a native of Switzerland, and may be yellow with white or red in colour, also with a dominant white head.
Simmentals have a very high growing rate (over 10% more than Friesians, Hereford crosses or Angus crosses)
Have deep muscled back and loin, top beef quality
Simmental bulls should never be used as sires for heifers.

20. Common Beef Breeds - Simmental

22. Belgian Blue Originated in Belgium
Usually have a whitish blue coat but sometimes can be black and white
Have a double muscle gene with a high growth rate
Have a high kill out percentage and produce a high percentage of lean meat on the carcass

24. Target Weights for Beef Production
At Birth = 40Kg
At Turnout 1st Summer = Kg
At Housing 1st Winter = 200Kg= Weanling
At Turnout 2nd Summer = Kg Yearling
At Housing 2nd Winter = Kg
At finishing= 550 – 750Kg
Depends on Breed & Sex

25. Slaughter weight varies with Breed
Aberdeen Angus: 450 – 500 Kg
Continental Beef breed: 650 – 800 Kg

26. Principles of Beef Production
Growth Rates
Two varying growth patterns
Constantly fed at a high level of nutrition
Over winter store animals
The most common in Ireland are the store animals.
These animals exhibit compensatory growth after each store period, which can be higher if fed constantly on a high plane of nutrition.
This system keeps down winter feed costs and can be very profitable.

27. Compensatory Growth in beef animals
Compensatory growth is the increase in growth that occurs when animals are fed well after a period of restricted feeding
Over the winter, animals are only fed silage for maintenance. During this period their frame grows but they put on little meat; this is known as a store period
The following spring, they experience an increased growth rate when put out to grass.

28. (a) High plane of Nutrition
Puberty

29. Compensatory growth curve
Store period 2
Store period 1

30. Animal Growth & Development
Tissue Development and Composition
The levels of body tissue vary throughout the cows life.
The most significant development is the sharp increase in body fat after 2 years old.
Therefore if the farmer notices excess fat in the abdominal area, he / she should not continue to feed the animal on such a high plane of nutrition.
The time at which this fat deposition occurs varies amongst different breeds.

31. Animal Growth & Development
Conformation
Refers to the shape of the animal & to the distribution of muscle on the body.
Good conformation = where the muscle is concentrated on parts of the carcase which has most value
These areas are the hindquarters (round steak and roasting beef) and the back (Sirloin, rib - roasts and T-bone steaks)
Carcass are assessed using the the EUROP scale
E= BEST P WORST (think of E for excellent, P for Poor)
12345 scale grades carcasses for Fatness
1 = leanest 5=Fattest

32. E U R O P 1 B PA PB PC 2 3 A 4L 4H 5

33. Grading Carcase Quality
Most Irish Beef falls into the category of A.
This is moderate quality beef that can be exported to less sensitive markets for a low price.
Beef in category B is excellent quality and can be exported to markets like Germany and France.
Use of continental breeds and early slaughtering can help improve the grade of the carcase.

35. Factors that affect conformation
Breed: Continental breeds are the most superior, followed by traditional beef breeds (see next slide)
Sex: Young bulls steers heifers cows
Nutrition level: The more restricted the feeding during the growth period, the greater the effect on conformation

36. Animal Growth & Development
Conformation (Best to Worst) Continental breeds (Charolais etc.) British Breeds (Hereford etc) Dual Purpose (Friesian) Dairy Breeds (Jersey)

37. Animal Growth & Development
Influence of Sex Status on growth
Bulls, castrated males (Steers and Bullocks) and heifers are the most common used in beef production in Ireland.
Bulls have the fastest growth rates but can be violent.
They may also try to serve cows and disrupt the farmers breeding plans.
Steers do not produce testosterone, the male sex hormone, which inhibits their growth.

38. Animal Growth & Development
Almost all males used in the Irish beef industry are castrated, as they are much tamer.
Heifers have lower growth rates than bulls and steers.
Weight at Slaughter:
Bull – 750Kg
Steer – 550Kg
Heifer – 450Kg

39. Bull beef V Heifer Beef Heifer Beef Bull Beef Female Animal
Smaller
Don't kill out as well.
Take longer to mature
Heifer calves are cheaper.
0.6/0.7 kgs gain per day
Bull Beef
Male animals only
Reared without castration
Reared to about 16 months.
Better Growth Rates due to testosterone.
Need high quality feed.
Small market here due (meat is strong)
1-1.25kg gain per day after weaning.

40. Parts of animal that supply meat

41. Development in Animals
Nervous Tissue first
Then Bone
Then Muscle and
Finally FAT
From 2 years old there is a sharp increase in fat %
Wasteful to feed.
Early Maturing Breeds: Hereford ( )
Intermediate Maturing Breeds: Hereford X Friesian
Late Maturing Breeds: Charolais (2.5 years)

43. Condition Scoring
This is carried out by farmers to assess if an animal is ready for slaughter or fit for mating.
It is carried out by running a hand along the rib cage and back bone to assess the level of fat cover.
In a scale of 1 to 5, 1 is extremely thin and 5 is extremely fat. Scores in the middle are most desirable.
It is very subjective and requires a lot of experience.

45. Beef Production Systems
In Ireland, there are two main types of Beef Production, producing beef animals from the Dairy Herd (Calf to Beef in Two Years) and producing beef animals from the Suckler Herd.
Production from the Dairy Herd is more common in Ireland as Friesen calves are suitable for the continental market.
Suckler herd animals account for 25 – 30% of the beef production in Ireland.

46. Calf to Beef in Two Years
These calves are bought from dairy farmers and are usually male calves.
Dairy farmers will cross some of their herd with a beef bull to improve the conformation of the offspring
The beef farmer purchases the calves every year and rears these animals to their finishing weight at two years old

47. Purchasing Calves
Points to look for when purchasing calves at the mart:
Conformation:
Shoulders wide
Wide Hind Quarters
Deep Barrel
Health:
Eyes Bright and Clear (no discharge)
Ears Pricked Up
Nose Clear (no discharge)
Naval clean, no swelling
Anus should show no sign of scour.
Generally lively and alert.

48. Care of Calves After Purchasing
Care should be taken not to stress the calve during transport.
Calves should only be fed water and glucose for the first 24 hours.
This is done to clear the contents of the stomach.
After 6 days the calve should be on full strength Milk Replacer.
The calf will subsequently weaned onto Hay and Concentrates and later grass when available!

49. Weaning onto hay/grass etc
A calves rumen is not fully developed, hay/silage/conc. Should be introduced gradually as soon as possible.
The silage/hay introduce micro-organisms into their rumen which digests the cellulose
His consumption of grass will increase as he gets older
4 weeks old= 500g/day

50. The Calves first summer on Grass (Do not write, summary table later)
Calves should not be allowed onto grass until the weather is warm.
The change from warm housing to cold outdoor conditions can cause a shock and can disturb the calf’s growth.
Meals should be fed for 2 – 3 weeks after being put onto grass, to help the calf adjust to the new diet.
Calves are selective grazers, and should always be kept on fresh, palatable grass and certainly should not be left graze pastures bare.

51. The Calf on Grass Continued..
They should graze under a leader – follower system.
They should always graze in advance of older cows.
This also inhibits the spread of stomach and lungworms.
When grass is scarce at the end of the summer, concentrates should be fed.
When calves are housed for the winter, they should weigh 200kg.

52. Turn in to winter housing
Weanlings are housed around November in Ireland due to weather conditions and low soil temperatures
Dose animals for stomach worms and liver fluke and treat for lice
Feed silage and concentrates (store period from earlier slides)

53. 2nd Summer on grass – Yearlings
Steer should weigh approx 300 Kg and heifer 275 Kg
On a rotational grazing system, the animal should gain weight due to compensatory growth
Live weight gain should be 0.8Kg per day

54. Winter housing Second year
Yearling housed weighing 470Kg
Animals treated for stomach worms, liver fluke and lice
Cattle of similar weight, sex and breed are penned together
High quality silage and concentrates ensures the animal reaches their finishing weight and maintain a LWG of 1 Kg/day
Animals should be ready for slaughter at end of winter (British breeds 600 Kg and Continental breeds (700 Kg)

55. Outline of a two year calf to beef system
First summer
First Winter
Calf should be about 8o Kg.
Leader- follower system of grazing
Protect against disease
Calf should be about 200 Kg.
House in open sheds or slatted unit
Feed high quality silage

56. Calf should weigh about 280Kg.
Contd
Calf should weigh about 280Kg.
Second in line in the leader-follower system (Rotational grazing system)
Dose for lice, stomach worms, lungworms, etc
Calf should be about 450 Kg.
Feed good quality silage and concentrates
Reaches slaughter weight at end of 2nd winter (600 Kgs for British breeds, 700 Kgs for Continental breeds)
Second summer
Second Winter

57. Why feed animals concentrates?
They supplement poor quality fodder crops
Farmers can ensure animals have a balanced diet
Provides fibre for animal
Are a high energy food
Farmers are able to control the animals diet
Can ensure production targets are met

58. Abbatoir Animals are fasted to:
Allow the rumen to be emptied prior to slaughter.
Decrease the chances of meat hygiene risk.
The glycogen in the muscle turns to lactic acid if the animal is stressed, this results in poor meat quality.
Hanging the carcass:
Allows the blood to drain.
Also the enzymes breaks down tough fibres in meat.
Overall it results in better meat quality.

59. Killing Out %
Is the dead weight of an animal expressed as a percentage of its live weight.
It is the weight of the animals carcass minus the weight of the hide/skin, head, feet and stomach/intestines

60. Suckler Herds (Don’t write)
Most suckler herds employ a spring calving system.
This is to get the best use of summer grass.
Most income comes from the sale of the calves so it is essential that each cow produce at least one reared calf per year.
Reproductive efficiency refers to the number of calves weaned per 100 cows served.
Good farms would have a Reproductive Efficiency of at least 90 – 100.

61. The Ideal Suckler cow
Ideal suckler cow is a 50% dairy x 50% continental beef animal possessing a good milk yield and good conformation.
This animal displays hybrid vigour and has a no of advantages over a purebred beef dam
Hybrid vigour is having offspring with superior qualities than the parents.
Crossbred suckler dams
Have higher fertility
Have lower calf mortality
Have a longer reproductive life
Have higher milk yields giving heavier weaned calves

62. Target weights for suckler calves
Care and management of calves is similar to dairy
Calves from suckler herd have higher growth rates than calves raised in the beef system, as they consume more milk from the dam
Target weights
System
Birth weight
Weaning weight
ADG from birth to weaning
Suckler herd
45 Kg
300 Kg
1.2 Kg/day
Calf to beef
40 Kg
230 Kg
0.8 kg/day

63. Management of suckler herds on grass
Should graze grass rotationally, using either a paddock or strip-grazing system
Suckler dam must be given good quality pasture to ensure good milk production for her calf
Calves will initially suckle the cow and then eat grass. A creep gate should be used to allow calf access to fresh grass and not the cow
The cow will come back into heat and heat detection aids should be used
Put cow back into calf by AI or a stock bull

64. Reproductive Efficiency
Reproductive efficiency is the number of calves weaned per 100 cows served
In a suckler herd, the aim is to produce one calf per year
To ensure this
Cow must be at correct BCS of 2.5 at mating
Proper heat detection as suckler cows take longer to come into heat than dairy cows due to calves suckling
Cull any cows that fail to come into calf
Use Hereford or Angus bull on heifers

65. Calving Interval
Calving Interval is the time that has elapsed between successive calvings
In sucker herds should be kept at 365 days

66. Artificial Insemination
Sperm of a superior bull can be diluted and is stored in liquid nitrogen until a female is ready to be serviced.
This allows a large number of animals to be serviced by one bull.
The sperm is then introduced into the cows uterus artificially.

67. Importance of AI in Sucker herds
Artificial Insemination gives farmers a wide choice of bulls of superior genetic quality, all of which have been performance and progeny tested
Bulls can be chosen with beef characteristics to produce calves for slaughter
When a farmer is selecting a bull, it is important he checks the index of calving difficulty

68. Factors that contribute to calving difficulties
Breed of bull
Breed of cow
Age of heifer or cow
Sex of the calf
Calf birth weight
BCS of cow at calving

69. Advantages of AI Can allow for one bull to serve up to 60,000 females.
Bull is not exposed to genital diseases.
Semen can be stored for many years.
Farmers can choose from a huge range of sires, depending on the use of the offspring.
Fertilisation is more likely from AI.
More accurate calving times.
No need to purchase and care for a bull, meaning it is much safer for the farmer.

70. Disadvantages of AI
Timing and heat detection are critical – more work for the farmer at this stage.
More expensive if animals heat periods are missed.
Missing heat periods also increases calving interval.

71. Bulls Two ways to rate bulls
Performance testing- refers to keeping records of the animals individual performance- growth rate, FCR- & comparing them with records of other animals under similar conditions
Progeny testing- refers to keeping records of an animals offspring & comparing them with the offspring of other animals under similar conditions

72. Husbandry of a suckler herd
The following procedures are carried out by the farmer
Castration
Dehorning a calf
Tagging a calf
Dosing
TB and brucellosis testing

73. Castration
The Burdizzo is a castration device which employs a large clamp designed to break the blood vessels leading into the testicles.
When blood flow is lost the testicles shrink, soften, and eventually deteriorate completely.
Castration must be completed at least 4 weeks before weaning or at least 2 weeks after weaning.

74. Dehorning a calf
Dehorning is done to prevent injury to other animals and humans
The calf is dehorned using a gas or electrical dehorning iron.
The calf’s hair is clipped
The dehorner is heated up and placed on horn buds for about five seconds
The dehorner causes the tissue around and under the horn to die

75. Tagging a calf
It is a legal requirement to tag newborn calves within 20 days of birth to ensure traceability
Two plastic tags are applied
The calf is then registered with the Calf Registration Agency

76. Housing requirements of beef cattle
Animals must have adequate space
Houses must be well ventilated and draught-free
Houses should be insulated to retain heat
Must have proper waste disposal
Clean water should be available
Proper bedding should be available
Animals should be dosed and vaccinated at housing

77. Floor & Feeding Space Required
Floor Space
Feeding Space
Air space
Weanlings
1.4 m2
0.3 m
7m3
Fattening cattle
(2 year old)
2.0 m2
0.4 m
10m3

79. Advantages of housing cattle over the winter
Prevents a fall in body temperature
Makes feeding easier
Protects animals from weather extremes
Prevents poaching (trampling the land)
Eases prevention and identification of diseases.

80. Buildings used in Beef production
Slatted house
Consist of separate slatted compartments on either side of a central feeding passage
The dung and urine drop through the slats and are collected in an underground tank.
The tank should have sufficient storage capacity to last the winter
Isolation houses
A small house used to temporarily keep sick animals while their disease symptoms are investigated
It prevents spread of infection and it should have an internal system of drains for disposal of dung and urine

82. Diseases of Beef Cattle
Tuberculosis (as dairy animals)
Stomach and Intestinal worms:
Symptoms: failure to thrive, dull coat and diarrhoea. In young animals causes severe growth restriction and sometimes death
Prevention: proper grazing management. Young cattle should be moved onto clean pastures regularly
Treatment: dosed with suitable nematicide

83. contd
Lungworm (Hoose, husk) caused by nematode belonging to genus Dictyocaulus
Symptoms: hoarse husky cough and fail to thrive. Are susceptible to hoose pneumonia
Prevention: proper grazing management as before
Treatment: dosed with suitable nematicide
Blackleg: caused by bacteria Clostridium Chauvoei. It is found in the soils in certain regions of the country and is nearly always fatal
Symptoms: animals appear lame and have swollen legs, become listless and have high fever
Prevention: vaccinate with 8 in 1 vaccine

84. Contd.
Grass tetany: caused by deficiency of magnesium. Commonly occurs when cattle are put out on heavily fertilised spring grass which has low levels of magnesium
Symptoms: nervousness, muscle tremors, twitching eyeballs, muscle spasm, coma and death
Prevention: Feeding cattle “calcined magnesite” (Cal- Mag) in the diet for 2 -3 weeks before turning out to grass

85. Contd
Lice
Symptoms: irritation of skin, restlessness with animals scratching, rubbing and licking themselves
Prevention: not effective preventative measures
Treatment: spray with insecticides
Redwater; a parasitic disease caused by Babesia bovis and transmitted by the common tick. It destroys red blood cells
Symptoms: reddish brown urine, listlessness, lack of appetite, fever and death if not treated
Prevention: remove natural environment of tick by heavy grazing, topping and reseeding
Treatment: injection of specific drug by vet

86. Ringworm: fungal infection of the skin and hair
Contd
Ringworm: fungal infection of the skin and hair
Symptoms: causes hair loss, itching and failure to thrive
Treatment: anti- fungal sprays
Foot and Mouth; viral disease that is highly infectious and infected cattle must be slaughtered.
Symptoms: excessive slobbering, lack of appetite, lameness, rise in temperature and blisters in mouth
Prevention: No vaccine but proper hygiene must be put in place in farms

87. Ringworm
Foot and mouth

88. Contd
Bloat; caused by an accumulation of gas in the rumen when animals graze early spring grass or high clover swards
Symptoms: rumen becomes inflated and puts pressure on the heart and lungs which can lead to heart failure
Treatment: a stomach tube which punctures the abdomen (trocar and cannula) releases gas from the abdomen.
Prevention: animals should have access to fibre after turnout to early lush grass, paddock grazing allows short periods of eating time

89. BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea)
Caused by a virus
Symptoms: weight loss, diarrhoea and abortion and congenital defects (defects in offspring)
Treatment/Prevention: Vaccinate young calves