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Unit ESegments of the Animal Industry

Lesson 1

Exploring the Cattle Industry

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TermsTerms Cattle feedersCattle feeders ConformationConformation Cow-calf operationCow-calf operation CutabilityCutability DemandDemand Dual-purpose breedDual-purpose breed desirable traitsdesirable traits Feeder calvesFeeder calves

Frame ScoreFrame Score MarblingMarbling PerformancePerformance PolledPolled Purebred breedersPurebred breeders SupplySupply Yearling feedersYearling feeders

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

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External Parts of a Beef External Parts of a Beef AnimalAnimal

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What are the Beef AnimalWhat are the Beef AnimalMeat Cuts?Meat Cuts?

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Beef Animal Meat CutsBeef Animal Meat Cuts

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What are the commonWhat are the commonbreeds of beef animals?breeds of beef animals?

TermsTerms PolledPolled

born naturally without hornsborn naturally without horns marblingmarbling

desirable presence of fat in the muscledesirable presence of fat in the muscle cutabilitycutability

amount of available retail cuts from the carcassamount of available retail cuts from the carcass dual-purpose breeddual-purpose breed

traditionally used for both milk and beef productiontraditionally used for both milk and beef production

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Brahman CattleBrahman Cattle

Used in crossbreeding Used in crossbreeding programsprograms

Light gray or red & sometimes Light gray or red & sometimes blackblack

loose skin, large hump over loose skin, large hump over shoulder & large drooping earsshoulder & large drooping ears

Resistance to disease, insectsResistance to disease, insects Tolerant to heat, rapid weight Tolerant to heat, rapid weight

gain, quality carcassesgain, quality carcasses unpredictable temperamentunpredictable temperament Excellent ability to forage on Excellent ability to forage on

poor rangepoor range

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Brahman CattleBrahman Cattle

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OxenOxen OxenOxen (singular (singular oxox) are cattle ) are cattle

trained as draft animals. trained as draft animals. They are adult, castrated males. They are adult, castrated males. Oxen are used for plowing, Oxen are used for plowing,

transport, hauling cargo, transport, hauling cargo, threshing grain by trampling, threshing grain by trampling, powering machines for grinding powering machines for grinding grain, irrigation or other grain, irrigation or other purposes, and drawing carts and purposes, and drawing carts and wagons. wagons.

Oxen are most often used in Oxen are most often used in teams of two, paired, for light teams of two, paired, for light work such as carting. work such as carting.

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Oxen CattleOxen Cattle

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Zebu CattleZebu Cattle Zebu is a term which is synonymous Zebu is a term which is synonymous

with "Bos Indicus," the scientific with "Bos Indicus," the scientific name for the humped cattle of the name for the humped cattle of the world.   world.  

The major Zebu cattle breeds of the The major Zebu cattle breeds of the world include world include Gyr, Guzerat,, Guzerat, Indu-Brazilian, , Nelore, and , and Brahman.  They originated in India, and are .  They originated in India, and are thought to be the world's oldest thought to be the world's oldest domesticated cattle.  domesticated cattle. 

The first importations of Zebu were The first importations of Zebu were bullocks for draft purposes, but they bullocks for draft purposes, but they later interbred with other cattle later interbred with other cattle breeds and produced hybrids which breeds and produced hybrids which were bigger, faster growing, and were bigger, faster growing, and more thrifty. more thrifty.

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Zebu CattleZebu Cattle

Gyr Cattle

Indu-BrazilianIndu-Brazilian

Nelore Cattle

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How do I know what beef animals How do I know what beef animals are better than others?are better than others?

TermsTerms Desirable traitsDesirable traits

traits that are in demand at the market placetraits that are in demand at the market place ConformationConformation

the shape, form, and type of an animalthe shape, form, and type of an animal PerformancePerformance

the ability of an animals to reproduce, wean, gain weight and the ability of an animals to reproduce, wean, gain weight and stay strongstay strong

Frame scoreFrame score measurement based on animals being observed and evaluated measurement based on animals being observed and evaluated

at 205 daysat 205 days

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How do I know what beef animals How do I know what beef animals are better than others?are better than others?

Select based on the frame scoreSelect based on the frame score 1 through 7 scale is used for frame score1 through 7 scale is used for frame score

Select based on conformation scoreSelect based on conformation score 1 through 17 is used for performance score1 through 17 is used for performance score

9 – 11 below average9 – 11 below average 12-14 average12-14 average 15-17 above average15-17 above average

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How do I know what beef animals How do I know what beef animals are better than others?are better than others?

No one breed is superior in all traitsNo one breed is superior in all traits Decide on individual priorities & select Decide on individual priorities & select

breed based on thembreed based on them Commit to good management practicesCommit to good management practices

diets nutritiousdiets nutritious comfortable living conditionscomfortable living conditions monitor health concernsmonitor health concerns assess breeding stockassess breeding stock

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How do I know what beef animals How do I know what beef animals are better than others?are better than others?

Choose a reputable breeder & producerChoose a reputable breeder & producer insure animals are free of diseases and insure animals are free of diseases and

genetic problemsgenetic problems look at records of the animalslook at records of the animals determine if animal will profit your herddetermine if animal will profit your herd

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What type of production best What type of production best suits my needs?suits my needs?

Cow-calf operationCow-calf operation keeping mature cattle to produce calveskeeping mature cattle to produce calves cows bred every year cows bred every year calves sold 2 wayscalves sold 2 ways

Feeder calvesFeeder calves weaned animals under a year old until sold to feedlot weaned animals under a year old until sold to feedlot

and raised to slaughter weightand raised to slaughter weight Yearling feedersYearling feeders

calves between 1 and 2 years of age sold to another calves between 1 and 2 years of age sold to another producer to feed out to slaughter weightproducer to feed out to slaughter weight

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Cow-Calf OperationsCow-Calf Operations

AdvantagesAdvantages utilizes pasturesutilizes pastures less labor intenseless labor intense low investment costslow investment costs require little equipment & require little equipment &

facilitiesfacilities easy to increase herd easy to increase herd

sizesize

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Large initial land Large initial land

investmentinvestment Price may be low when Price may be low when

time to sell calvestime to sell calves

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What type of production best What type of production best suits my needs?suits my needs?

Cattle feedersCattle feeders producers that feed beef animals to slaughter producers that feed beef animals to slaughter

weightweight buy yearling or calves and finish them quicklybuy yearling or calves and finish them quickly

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Cattle FeedersCattle Feeders

AdvantagesAdvantages production lag is only production lag is only

4 – 6 months4 – 6 months Quick turn-over time Quick turn-over time

for moneyfor money

DisadvantagesDisadvantages initial investment is initial investment is

highhigh higher feedhigher feed housing & equipmenthousing & equipment

more labormore labor

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What type of production best What type of production best suits my needs?suits my needs?

Purebred breedersPurebred breeders producers that keep herds for breeding stock and producers that keep herds for breeding stock and

replacement bulls or semen for cow-calf operationsreplacement bulls or semen for cow-calf operations

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Purebred BreedersPurebred Breeders

AdvantagesAdvantages provides genetic provides genetic

improvements to improvements to herdsherds

Receive higher values Receive higher values for animals soldfor animals sold

DisadvantagesDisadvantages initial start-up cost initial start-up cost

higher for genetically higher for genetically superior animalssuperior animals

time consumingtime consuming record-keepingrecord-keeping