Beef Cattle Opertations

Objectives Students should be able to : Plan a feeding program for a cow calf herd List and describe approved practices for managing a cow-calf herd

Feeds Cattle feeding programs are based on roughages and the location within the U.S. Feed composition tables give the analysis of feeds that can be used Typical roughages: Pasture Hay Silage Straw Corncobs Other crop residue

Alternative Roughages Cottonseed hulls Peanut hulls Oat hulls Rice hulls

Grasses Used for pasture and hay: Legumes used: Red clover Fescue Orchard grass Reed Canary grass Smooth bromegrass Kentucky Bluegrass Ryegrass Timothy Bahia Legumes used: Red clover Alsike Lespedeza Peanut hay Cowpeas Soybean hay

Roughages Provide the cheapest source of energy High quality roughages meets all demands and little to no supplements are needed. Poor quality = higher amounts of other feeds and supplements

Managing Feed Sources Pasture and Hay Land Round Bales Rotational Grazing The division of a field by the use of temporary fencing The herd is only allowed on apart of the field. Round Bales Can cut labor requirements up to 60% (advantage) 20% loss of dry matter, energy and protein compared to square bales (disadvantage)

Creep Feeders

Beef Cattle Operations Most beef cattle industry is centered in the southern and western states.

Types of Beef Cattle Operations Cow-Calf Producers A herd of cows are bred each year to produce calves. These calves are often sold sometimes after weaning (6 months to 1 year old animals) with a weight of 300- 500 pounds

Growing Replacement Heifers Puberty- the age at which a heifer comes into heat At least 15% of cows are lost each year due to death, breeding failure, and aging.

Branding and Marking Hot irons, cold irons and freeze branding are the three ways to brand cattle. Tattooing is very popular way to identify cattle Ear tagging is the most common way to identify cattle

Dehorning Calves Calves should be dehorned when they are young. Electric dehorning Hot irons Metal scoop Tube dehorner Hand saws https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeluAfJlKZg

Types of Beef Cattle Production Seedstock Purebred Breeders Keeps herd of purebred breeding animals and provides replacement bulls for cow-calf operations. These operations focus more specifically on genetic improvement within a given breed.

Types of Beef Cattle Production Cattle Feeders Stocker Operations Feedlots

Types of Beef Cattle Production Stocker Operations Purchase calves from a cow-calf producer and care for them for approximately 5 months (12 months to 17 months of age) Feedlot Raises large animals in a more confined area Animals are to be fed to a “finished” market weight and then sent to be processed between 18-22 months of age Feedlot animals are purchased from stockers or cow-calf producers through one of the various types of livestock markets.

Processing Beef Products Feedlots sell animals to packing plants (slaughter houses) Most packing facilities process animals into primal cuts and subprimal cuts. These products are sold to retailers and foodservice companies. Some packing facilities sell subprimals to meat processors who create value-added products such as pre-cooked items, sandwich meat, etc.

Types of Feeding Operations Commercial feeders 1000 cattle or more The feed is usually purchased Fed n the Plains states and Texas Farm-Feeders Marketing farm-raised beef Great demand for steers to weigh 1000-1250 Heifers to weigh 900-1050

Types of Finishing Full Finishing Deferred Finishing Fed a full feed of grain and less roughage Steers fed about 275 days and heifers fed about 230 Deferred Finishing More roughages and less grain Bought in the fall put on roughage for the winter and then fed small amounts of grain In the summer the calves are put on a feedlot

Cattle to Feed Sex Age and Weight More steers than heifers Calves- less than a year Yearlings- between 1 and 2 yrs 550-700lbs Older Feeders – over 2 yrs old 800-1000lbs

Calculating Feed Needs Starting Weight- 600 Length of Feeding- 210 Days Average Daily Gain- 2.4 lb Ending Weight- 1104lb Ration Corn- 14.8 lb Protein- 1.5 lb Mixed Hay- 5 lbs Feed Consumption- 2.5% of average body weight Start Weight+ End Weight x (Feed Consumption as Percent) x Days on feed 2

Types of Breeding Systems Straightbreeding Mating animals of the same breed Three Types Purebred Breeding Inbreeding Grading up

Purebred Breeding Mating registered purebred male and female of the same breed Animals are eligible for registry with a purebred association Example : Angus X Angus

Inbreeding Mating closely related animals Increased the genetic purity of the stock produced, but is not used as often by the typical producer Two types of Inbreeding Close-breeding Line-breeding

Close Breeding Mating animals that are very closely related Examples Son X Mother Brother X Sister Father X Daughter

Line Breeding Mating animals more distantly related than close- breeding Example Cousin x Cousin

Grading Up Mating purebred males (sires) to grade or unregistered or crossbred females (dams) to improve the herd Examples Yorkshire Boar x Yorkshire/Hampshire Sow

Crossbreeding System Mating a male and female of different breeds Usually results in improved traits of the offspring Also known as Hybrid Vigor Includes Terminal Sire- Replacement females are berd to a sire and all offspring are sold Rotational – Uses a two, three, or four breeds to rotate between sires and females. This system requires more intensive management.

Cross Breeding Example Angus X Charolais