1. Beef Production

2. 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

3. 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

4. What are the external parts of a beef animal?

5. External Parts of a Beef Animal

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 2:

16. BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 3:

17. BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 4:

18. BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 5:

19. BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 6:

20. BCS: Body Condition Scores Score 7:

21. Why is Body Condition So Important?

23. Feeder Cattle Grading

24. 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

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

26. Frame A) Large Steers- 1250 + lbs Heifers- 1150 + lbs B) Medium Steers- 1100-1250 lbs Heifers 1000-1150 lbs

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

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

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

31. USDA No. 1 USDA No. 2

32. USDA No. 3 USDA No. 4

33. 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

34. Beef Selection

35. 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

37. Light muscled vs. Heavy Muscled

38. Can hair can give a false shape?

42. Which prospect would you choose?

47. Beef Cattle Reproduction

48. 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

49. 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

50. Female Reproductive Organs

51. 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

52. Male Reproductive Organs

53. 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

54. 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.

55. 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.

56. 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