The Domestication of Animals

• Animals are used by humans for living with, worshiping, consuming, admiring, fearing, loving, caring for and depending on them.
• Animals part of our sociology, sustenance and day-to-day lives.
• Other uses of animals include sports, recreation, manufacturing, religion, scientific research, and companionship.
• Domestic plants and animals are kept to produce for humankind’s needs and have adapted to life with humans.
• Culture refers to the set of occupational activities, economic structures, beliefs/values, social forms, and material traits that define our actions and activities.
• It is unknown when individual animal species' domestication occured.
• Dogs were the first domesticated animal from an extinct wolf, possibly as long as 30,000 years ago according to DNA sequencing technology, or about 14,000 years ago (1200 B.C.) based on archeological evidence.
• The earliest domestic food animal species recorded are:
  • Sheep: around 8,000 B.C.
  • Goats, Pigs, and Cattle: 6500 B.C.
  • Llamas: 5500 B.C.
  • Horses: 3500 B.C.
  • Donkeys: 4000 B.C.
  • Reindeer: 3000 B.C.
  • Chickens: 6,000 B.C.
  • It is an active area of research with other dates being proposed for all species.
• Hunter-gatherers support their needs by hunting game, fishing, and gathering edible and medicinal plants, and first domesticated animals for meat, bones, and skins.
• Milk, clothing, power, war, sport, and prestige came later.
• A farmer practices agriculture by managing and cultivating livestock and/or crops.
• Cattle Situation Report, January to March 2023:
  • Volume of Production, Philippines:
    • 53.24(2021)
    • 52.89(2022)
    • 53.89 (in thousand metric tons, liveweight).
  • Growth Rate (in percent):
    • -12.2(2021)
    • -0.7(2022)
    • 1.9(2023)
    • As of 31 March 2023:
      • Smallhold: 82.1%
      • Semi-commercial: 14.3%
      • Commercial. 3.6%
    • 2.57 million heads
    • Distribution of Cattle Inventory by Region as of 31 March 2023 (in thousand heads):
      • Central Visayas: 341.06
      • Ilocos Region: 250.09.
      • CALABARZON: 249.56.
      • Western Visayas: 244.73.
      • Northern Mindanao: 215.13.
      • SOCCSKSARGEN: 192.60.
      • Central Luzon: 191.05.
      • Cagayan Valley: 176.63.
      • BARMM: 161.53.
      • MIMAROPA Region: 142.85.
      • Davao Region: 121.96.
      • Zamboanga Peninsula: 105.92.
      • Bicol Region: 76.35.
      • CAR: 57.58.
      • Eastern Visayas: 26.00.
      • Caraga: 19.41.
    • Average Farmgate Price of Cattle for Slaughter, Philippines

      • Farmgate Price (in peso/kilogram):

        • 141.50(2021)
        • 138.00(2022)
        • 169.33(2023)

      • Growth Rate (in percent):

        • 11.9(2021)
        • -2.5(2022)
        • 22.7(2023)
• Problems of the cattle industry:
  • Low productivity
  • Low nutritional level
  • Poor herd management
  • Marketing
  • Credit facilities
• Prospects of the cattle industry:
  • Demand for food
  • Produce meat at a much higher price
  • Cattle are excellent converters of low-quality farm residues

Systems of Beef Cattle Production

• Ranching systems: Common in rolling or hilly country areas with grassland with marked season growth behavior.
• Integration with dominant cropping systems: Grazing cattle under dominance cropping systems like coconut to control weeds and undergrowth and is considered on the whole supplemental enterprise.
• Breeding-fattening systems: Consists of cow calf and/or cow fattening operation.

Taxonomical classification of cattle

• Phylum: Chordata (animals having a backbone)
• Class: Mammalia (milk giving)
• Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed, hooved)
• Suborder: Ruminantia (cud chewing)
• Family: Bovidae (hollow horn, ruminants)
• Genus: Bos
• Species:
  • Bos indicus (tropical cattle)
  • Bos taurus (Temperate cattle)

European Breeds (Bos taurus) Temperate Breeds

• Angus:
  • Originated in Scotland.
  • Black, naturally polled.
  • Largest number of annual registrations in the United States.
• Hereford:
  • Originated in England.
  • Red and white, also white on underline, legs, and switch.
  • Found in all 50 states.
• Shorthorn:
  • Originated in Northern Scotland.
  • Black, naturally polled.
  • Largest number of annual registrations in the United States.
• Wagyu:
  • A Japanese beef cattle breed derived from native Asian cattle.
  • "Wagyu" refers to all Japanese beef cattle; "Wa" means Japanese, and "gyu" means cow.
  • The breed were originally draft animals used in agriculture, and selected for their physical endurance.
  • This selection favored animals with more intra-muscular fat cells – "marbling".

Asiatic/Zebu Breed (Bos indicus) Tropical Breed

• Brahman:
  • Originated in India.
  • Red and grey strands.
  • Noted for heat tolerance, disease and insect resistance, and crossing ability.

Dairy Cattle Breeds

• Ayrshire:
  • Originated in Scotland.
  • Medium-sized breed.
  • Medium to dark red and white in color.
  • Average lactation is 305 days of 14,534 lbs of milk.
• Brown Swiss:
  • Originated in Switzerland.
  • Large, docile breed.
  • Hair is brown of various shades.
  • Average lactation: 305 days of 16,135 lbs. of milk.
• Guernsey:
  • Originated on the Isle of Guernsey.
  • Medium-size breed known for a gentle nature.
  • Various shades of fawn with white markings and a white switch.
  • Average lactation period: 305 days of 13,109.
• Holstein:
  • Originated in the Netherlands.
  • Dominant breed of dairy cattle.
  • Black and white color pattern.
  • Average lactation period: 305 days of 20,121 lbs. of milk.
• Jersey:
  • Originated on the Isle of Jersey.
  • A small, refined animal of unsurpassed femininity.
  • Vary from light tan to dark fawn with darker shading around the head and lower legs.
  • Average milk yield of 13,358.
• Polled Hereford:
  • Developed in the United States.
  • Red with a white face, and white on the underline, legs & switch.
  • Naturally hornless.
• Red Angus:
  • Developed in the United States.
  • Red and naturally polled.
  • Developed from a recessive gene found in black Angus cattle.

Continental Breeds/Other Breeds.

• Chianina:
  • Originated in Italy.
  • White hair coat with: black pigmentations.
  • One of the world's oldest breeds.
  • A Extremely large framed.
• Charolais:
  • Originated in France.
  • White, off-white to cream coloration.
  • Produce lean, muscular carcasses.
  • Below average maternally.
• Gelbvieh:
  • Originated in Germany.
  • Reddish gold to russet colored hair.
  • Resulted from government-controlled breeding program in W. Germany.
  • Dual-purpose breed.
• Limousin:
  • Originated in France.
  • Reddish gold in color, can also be black.
  • Fastest-growing breed in country (percentage increase in registrations).
• Maine Anjou:
  • Originated in France.
  • Deep red in color with white underline and patches, can also be black.
  • Largest continental breed in terms of weight.
• Simmental:
  • Originated in Switzerland.
  • Range in color from straw-colored through light red and dark red, also black.
  • Heaviest milking continental breed.
• Texas Longhorn:
  • Developed in Texas, of Spanish origin.
  • Long, distinctive horns, many colors, including speckled and spotted.
• Santa Gertrudis:
  • Developed in the United States.
  • 5/8 Shorthorn and 3/8 Brahman.
  • Dark red, both horned and polled.

Breeding Practices in Cattle

• Systems of Breeding:
  • Crossbreeding: The mating of two different breeds of animals to increase heterozygosity and take advantage of hybrid vigor.
  • Inbreeding: The mating of closely related individuals.
  • Line breeding: Mating granddaughter to grand sire, half-brother to a half-sister among descendants of outstanding ancestors, to concentrate inheritance from outstanding individuals.

Systems of Mating

• Hand mating: A cow in heat is brought to the bull, or vice versa; they are separated after breeding. The service of the bull is fully controlled.
• Pasture mating: The bull is brought in and goes with the herd of breeding heifers and cows during the breeding season.
• Controlled breeding: Keeping the bull with the cows for a specific period (e.g., 2-3 months) and then removing the bull completely for the rest of the year.

Advantages of controlled breeding

• The bull will be kept in good condition since they will have time to recover after the breeding season.
• Calving can be timed to match the season that is most advantageous in terms of having adequate feed for the nursing cow, thus maintaining milk flow at an optimum level.
• Cows will calve in relatively short intervals; thus, calves will be almost of the same age.
• Performance of the herd bull can also be easily evaluated.

Reproductive phenomena in cattle

• Age of Puberty: 6-8 Months
• Estrus Period: 10-12 hours
• Estrous Cycle: 18-24 days (21 days)
• Ovulation: 10-14 hours after the end of estrus
• Gestation: 270-290 days (283 days)

Breeding Age in cattle

• Heifer:
  • Breeding Age: 2 years
  • Breeding Weight: 250-300 kg
• Bull:
  • Breeding Age: 2 years
  • Breeding Weight: 300 kg

Herd Management

• Herd Division:
  • Pregnant Herd
  • Breeding Herd
  • Heifer Herd
  • Steer, feeder, or fattener herd
  • Bull Herd
• Management of Lactating and pregnant cows
• Pregnancy diagnosis (Rectal Palpation)
• Management of open cows and replacement heifers
• Management of calves
• Management of growers
• Management of fatteners
• Management of bulls
• Management practices in beef cattle:
  • Cattle identification: Branding, Ear-notching, Ear tagging, Neck Collar
  • Dehorning
  • Castration

Methods of Identification

• Combination of tattoo and ear tag.
• Hot or fire branding.
• Freeze branding.
• Electronic ear tags.
• Tattoo and Ear Tag:
  • Tattoo is a permanent set of digits placed in the ear by using ink.
  • Ear tags are placed on the outside of the ear.
  • Tattoos are better than ear tags because they are permanently on the animal.
• Hot or Fire Branding:
  • Branding the hide with hot irons.
  • One of the oldest and most permanent methods of Identification.
  • Branding is usually the best method because it can never fade away.
• Freeze Branding:
  • Branding cattle with super-chilled irons.
  • Hair is discolored on the branded spot due to the extreme cold.
  • Great on black cattle
• Electronic Ear tags:
  • New and expensive.
  • Animals/carcass can be traced back to place of origin

Reasons to Castrate and Dehorn

• Why Castrate?
  • Steers are more docile in temperament.
  • Steers produce a carcass with finer texture of lean and more marbling.
  • Steers usually finish in a little less time (fatten quicker).
  • Steers can be mixed with females.
  • Castration eliminates the possibility of genetically inferior bulls breeding cows.
• Why Dehorn?
  • Losses from horn bruises are eliminated at slaughter time or in marketing.
  • Reduces injury to people and horses when working cattle.
  • Cattle without horns sell for higher prices.
  • Less shed and feeding space required.
  • Look more uniform in groups.
• Facilities:
  • Provide 75 square feet of shelter for each calf.
  • If feed and water troughs are outside, then 45 square feet is fine.
  • A 100x 200 foot lot is big enough for two calves.

Additional Specifications

• Clean and dry with good drainage.
• Area should be free of rocks, junk, and exposed nails or sharp edges.
• Clean bedding.
• Adequate ventilation.
• Electricity.
• Clean feeding area and feed storage area.
• Access to catch pen and head chute.
• Fence of wood planks, metal, cable, or woven wire preferable to barbed wire.
• Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
• Dry feed intake is closely associated with how much water an animal consumes.
• Water sources should be cleaned at least weekly.