beef summary.docx

### **Cattle Classification:** - **Male**: Intact male - **Steer**: Castrated male - **Cow**: Female that has had at least one calf - **Heifer**: Female that has not yet had a calf - **Calf**: Young male or female ### **Common Beef Breeds:** 1. **Belgian Blue**: Continental breed...

### **Cattle Classification:** - **Male**: Intact male - **Steer**: Castrated male - **Cow**: Female that has had at least one calf - **Heifer**: Female that has not yet had a calf - **Calf**: Young male or female ### **Common Beef Breeds:** 1. **Belgian Blue**: Continental breed 2. **Charolais**: Continental breed 3. **Simmental**: Continental breed 4. **Limousin**: Continental breed 5. **Hereford**: British breed 6. **Aberdeen Angus**: British breed ### **Beef Production Systems:** - Two systems: constant high nutrition feeding and store over winter - Animals slaughtered at 12-30 months - Outlets: live exports and home/export markets ### **Animal Growth & Development:** - Store period for low-cost winter feeding - Compensatory growth advantage after restricted feeding ### **Carcass Quality:** - Graded using the EUROP system (E to P) - Factors include length, shape, fat %, and meat content ### **Beef Production in Ireland:** - Relies on dairy herds for beef animals - Significant export of beef (UK, Germany, Egypt, Iran) ### **Calf Management:** - Includes tagging, registration, dehorning, and castration - Careful handling and weaning onto new diets ### **Diseases in Cattle:** - Examples include Blackleg, Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, BVD - Notifiable diseases must be reported to authorities ### **Breeding and Genetics:** - Hybrid vigor improves traits like fertility and growth rates - Selection criteria for female breeding stock and bulls ### **Beef Production Year:** - Includes calving management, summer essentials, winter housing, and autumn calving considerations ### **Achieving High Conception Rate:** - Planned breeding programs and nutritional management