Beef Cattle Terminology and Breeds

Cattle Classification

• Male cattle are classified as intact males
• Steers are castrated males
• Cows are female cattle that have had at least one calf
• Heifers are female cattle that have not yet had a calf
• Calves are young male or female cattle

Beef Breeds

• There are two categories of beef breeds: Continental and British
• Continental breeds include Charolais, Limousin, Simmental, and Belgian Blue
• British breeds include Hereford and Aberdeen Angus

Beef Production in Ireland

• There are approximately 4.5 million beef animals in Ireland
• The country produces around 0.5 million tonnes of beef per year
• 80% of Irish beef is exported to countries like the UK, Germany, Egypt, and Iran
• Beef production is the lowest income-generating activity per hectare in Irish farms
• Irish beef production relies on good spring grass and good silage
• Most beef animals in Ireland originate from dairy herds

Beef Production Systems

• There are two beef production systems: dairy and suckler herds
• Dairy herd production is more common in Ireland
• Suckler herds account for 25-30% of beef production in Ireland

Animal Growth and Development

• Beef cattle have two growth patterns: high-level nutrition and store periods
• Growth curves show that animals on high-level nutrition grow faster
• Store periods involve feeding cattle low-quality silage to reduce winter feed costs
• Compensatory growth occurs when cattle are fed well after a period of restricted feeding

Tissue Development and Composition

• Bulls have the fastest growth rates but can be violent
• Steers/bullocks do not produce testosterone, which inhibits their growth

Castration

• Castration is carried out using a burdizzo, which breaks the blood vessel leading into the testicles
• This causes the testicles to shrink, soften, and eventually deteriorate

Grading Carcase Quality

• Carcase quality is measured using the EUROP system
• The system grades carcasses based on length, shape, percentage of fat, and meat content

Target Weights

• Target weights for slaughter are: 750kg for bulls, 550kg for steers, and 450kg for heifers

Beef Production System Ireland

• Key points for spring calving: good grassland management, good housing, good husbandry, and high live weight gain
• Key points for autumn calving: good grassland management, good housing, good husbandry, and high live weight gain

Calf Management

• Key practices include tagging, registration, dehorning, and castration
• Calves should be handled carefully on arrival to the farm and weaned onto a new diet
• Feeding colostrum is essential for calf health

Rearing Calves

• Calves should be fed whole milk or powered milk gradually over 3-4 days
• Feed at 10% of the calf's body weight per day
• Half of the feed should be given in the morning and half in the evening
• Automatic feeders can be used to encourage calves to suck and produce saliva

Diseases in Cattle

• Blackleg is caused by Clostridium chauvoei and can be treated with antibiotics
• Brucellosis is caused by Brucella bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics
• Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium bovis and can be treated with antibiotics
• Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is caused by a virus and can be treated with antibiotics and vaccination

Notifiable Diseases

• Notifiable diseases are required by law to be reported to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Marine
• Examples include Blackleg, Brucellosis, and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD)

Biosecurity Measures

• Biosecurity measures include proper hygiene, sanitation, and isolation of sick animals
• Vaccination and testing can also help prevent diseases

Selection of Female Breeding Stock

• Selection criteria include fertility, milking ability, and calving ease
• Hybrid vigour can be achieved by crossing different breeds to obtain the best qualities of both
• Cross-breeding can improve traits with low heritability like fertility and milking ability

Selection of a Bull

• Selection criteria include fertility, growth rate, and temperament
• Two options for breeding are: stock bull or AI (artificial insemination)

Achieving High Conception Rate

• Achieving high conception rate involves planning the mating of cows to coincide with the desired calving date
• Cows should be in optimum condition and fed supplementary concentrates if necessary
• A body condition score (BCS) of 2.5 at calving is ideal