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Beef Cattle Terminology and Breeds
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Beef Cattle Terminology and Breeds

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Questions and Answers

What is a steer?

  • A young male or female
  • A female that has had at least one calf
  • A castrated male (correct)
  • A male that has not yet had a calf
  • Which of the following breeds is a British Beef Breed?

  • Simmental
  • Hereford (correct)
  • Limousin
  • Charolais
  • What is conformation in beef cattle?

  • The breed of the animal
  • The age of the animal
  • The shape of the animal and the distribution of muscle (correct)
  • The weight of the animal
  • What is the primary advantage of the compensatory growth model?

    <p>Lower feed costs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the period when cattle are fed a low plane of nutrition?

    <p>Store period</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of beef production systems?

    <p>To produce beef for human consumption</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many tonnes of beef per year are produced in Ireland?

    <p>0.5m tonnes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main objective of hybrid vigour?

    <p>To surpass the growth performance of the parents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of crossing beef x dairy cows?

    <p>Enhanced reproductive success, lower calf mortality and higher calf growth rates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of flushing cows before mating?

    <p>To place the cows on a low plane of nutrition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of a calf's birth weight takes place during the final 3 months of pregnancy?

    <p>90%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ideal body condition score (BCS) of a cow at calving?

    <p>2.5</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of 'steaming up' in a breeding programme?

    <p>To provide extra supplements of concentrates to the cow</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason why bulls have the fastest growth rates?

    <p>They produce testosterone, which promotes growth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the burdizzo in castration?

    <p>To break the blood vessel leading into the testicles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the grading system used to measure carcase quality?

    <p>EUROP system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the target weight for slaughter of a bull?

    <p>750kg</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of tagging in calf management?

    <p>To identify the calf's ownership.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the recommended amount of milk to feed a calf per day?

    <p>10% of the calf's body weight.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the age at which weaning takes place in calf management?

    <p>6 weeks old</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of a successful calf to beef system?

    <p>To produce high-quality calves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the cause of Blackleg disease in cattle?

    <p>Bacterial infection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of biosecurity measures in cattle production?

    <p>To reduce disease incidence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    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

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    Description

    This quiz covers the terminology and breeds of beef cattle, including male, female, and young cattle definitions, as well as common breeds such as Belgian Blue and Aberdeen Angus.

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