Term
| What is creep feeding? How do you do this when calves are with cows? |
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Definition
feeding calve separate ration from their dams
use feeder space that only calves can fit in |
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Term
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Definition
| palatable, easily digestible grains & protein supplements for an immature GIT |
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Term
| What are the pros of creep feeding (3) |
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Definition
-teach calves to consume dry feed
-increase weight gain
-less strain on mother if pasture qual is low, and can maybe wean earlier |
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Term
| What are the cons of creep feeding (4) |
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Definition
-low feed conversion
-non creep fed calves will compensate post weaning anyways
-heavier calves may actually bring lower prices (ppl think they dont have as much untapped potential)
-possible excess nutrition for replacement heifers |
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Term
| Which age group of cows will benefit the most from early weaning? |
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Definition
| 1st calf heifers, because lactation is a greater nutritional stress for them than older cows who aren't simultaneously trying to grow |
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Term
| What are the pros of early weaning? (3) |
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Definition
-improved BCS for cows if there is poor/limited forage
-increase weight gain of calves if kept & fed harvested/purchased feeds
-improve quality grade after finishing (maybe) |
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Term
| What are the cons of early weaning? (3) |
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Definition
-greater initial costs (feed, labour)
-decreased cash flow if calves are sold at weaning
-increased health problems (maybe, possibly less developed immune system) |
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Term
| What percentage of a cow herd is replaced annually? |
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Definition
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Term
| Stages of heifer development |
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Definition
• Preweaning
• Weaning to Breeding
• Breeding to Calving
• Calving to Rebreeding |
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Term
| What effects do preweaning implants have on reproduction? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the main considerations of preweaning management? |
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Definition
-good cow nutrition
-creep feeding or early weaning (if cow nutrition is limited)
-implants |
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Term
| What are the main considerations of cow management between weaning time until breeding? |
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Definition
-fed separately from rest of herd
-nutrition should aim for higher number of etrus cycles before breeding (reach puberty at 12-14mo)
-want to be 65% of MW at start of breeding season
-breed heifers 3-4wks before cow herd
-manage for a short breeding season (45d) |
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Term
| What are the main considerations of cow management between breeding & calving? |
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Definition
-calve at 85% MW
-last 50-60d before calving is critical
-feed heifers separately from mature cows |
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Term
| What are the main considerations of cow management between calving & rebreeding? |
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Definition
-highest nutrient requirements
-may need to supplement if pasture/forage inadequate |
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Term
| Poor Heifer Nutrition Results in: |
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Definition
• Increased age at puberty
• Lower conception rates
• Increased calving difficulty
• Increased calf morbidity and mortality
• Later born calves
• Lighter weaning weights
• Decreased % rebreeding of first calf
heifers
• Later rebreeding of first calf heifers
• Reduced lifetime productivity |
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Term
| Why does spring calving cows lead to producing more lbs of calves when weaned? |
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Definition
| better forage quality in spring |
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Term
| Why do we see some cattle with very thick backfat?- |
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Definition
-producers sometimes feed to heavier weights to justify the cost of the cattle
-try to attain premium for more marbling (often doesn't outweigh the cost of feeding, or doesn't even result in marbling) |
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Term
| When do cattle enter feedlots |
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Definition
Short
-fed over winter on forage diet, enter feedlot 11-13mo
Long
-fed over winter, grazed over summer, feedlot at 16-18mo |
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Term
| How long do cattle stay on the feedlot? |
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Definition
3-6 months
-dont want to be more than 30 months old, otherwise will be considered mature and greater risk for mad cow disease |
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Term
| What are the goals of a stocker/backgrounder? |
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Definition
develop animal frame and muscle NOT fat
train to consume grain
even out beef supply
provide low growth rate so can exhibit compensatory gain during finishing |
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Term
| 3 types of backgrounding programs |
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Definition
Over winter, will go on spring pasture then feedlot in fall
Replacement heifers, stocker calves to go to spring feedlot, or pasture then feedlot in fall
Feedlot entry in spring
(in order of increasing plane of nutrition) |
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Term
| Things You Need to Know before Designing Backgrounding Ration (5) |
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Definition
• Frame size of calves
• Feed availability
• Target sale weight
• Target marketing date
• Degree of fleshiness desired |
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Term
| Important management considerations when receiving weaned calves |
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Definition
-supply good qual grass hay bc dont know how to eat grain and may be subject to acidosis if introduced quickly. silage = risk of bloat
-vaccination
-deworm
-dehorm
-castrate
-antibiotics
-coccidiostat
-implanting
-ionophores
-gender |
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Term
|
Definition
-improve feed conversion efficiency
-increase ADG
-decrease cost of gain |
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Term
| What stages of production are implants used? |
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Definition
suckling
stocker-grower
feedlot finishing |
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Term
| What are anabolic implants? |
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Definition
pellets containing cholesterol/lactose carrier, with silicone core & hormone crystal in center
dissolve during exposure to body fluids, releasing anabolic compounds |
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Term
|
Definition
| length of time that implants are releasing compound |
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Term
What do estrogenic compounds do? (4)
Give an example of one |
|
Definition
-increase size of pituitary & number of cells = increased GHRH sensitivity
-increase GH secretion = increased body protein synthesis
-increase number of GH receptors in liver
-increase IGF-1 production (promotes growth in almost all tissues)
EG: ESTRADIOL 17 BETA |
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Term
|
Definition
somatotropin
promotes bone & muscle growth in young animals |
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Term
| Why might progesterone be incorporated into some implants? |
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Definition
| it prolongs concentration of estradiol in the blood |
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Term
| What do androgenic compounds do? Give 2 examples |
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Definition
TBA: binds to androgen & glucocorticoid receptors to block catabolic effects of cortisol
TP: anabolic effects, prolongs estradiol release
Trenbalone acetate
Testosterone propionate |
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Term
| Which has stronger growth-promoting effects, estrogenic or androgenic compounds |
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Definition
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Term
|
Definition
-enhance protein deposition (rate of gain)
-increase live weight to attain carcass fatness (larger loin with same amount of fat)
-increase bone growth |
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Term
| Why is increased bone growth due to implants possibly a problem? |
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Definition
| carcass grades look at bone ossification to guess age, older cattle get downgraded |
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Term
| How would you recommend a producer strategically use implants? |
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Definition
1. estimate slaughter date
2. Set goals for performance & quality grade
3. Work backwards from date to determine when the terminal implant should be used
4. Select initial implants based on terminal implant program |
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Term
| Are suckling implants worthwhile? |
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Definition
| depends! if you have to pay someone to put them in, probably not. if you do it yourself, yes |
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Term
| How do grazed growing cattle respond to implants? |
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Definition
-well if implants are used in combination
-limited improvement if on a low qual roughage |
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Term
| Problems with the Implant Procedure |
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Definition
abscesses
expelled implants
embed in cartilage
may increase dark cutters, reduce quality grade |
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Term
| Why are abscesses a problem with implants? |
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Definition
| will reduce ADG and F:G, increase cost per unit gain bc body spending energy to fight infection |
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Term
| What effect do implants have on meat quality? (4) |
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Definition
Marbling (E not a bad as A)
Masculinity (TBA > estrogenic)
Skeletal maturity
Dark cutting |
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Term
| What are ionophores used for? |
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Definition
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Term
| Give an example of an ionophore |
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Definition
monensin (rumensin)
lasalocid sodium (bovatee) |
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Term
| How do ionophores work? (4) |
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Definition
change microbial populations & what they do in the rumen
Inhibit H2 producers = less CH4, more prop/acet
Inhibit NH3 producers = more avail protein
Inhibit lactate producers = higher pH
Decrease feed intake = less dilution = better feed digestion |
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Term
| Why would you want to raise pH using ionophores? |
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Definition
| higher pH = happier fibrolytic bacteria |
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Term
| Which have a more complex cell wall, gram- or gram+ ? |
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Definition
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Term
| Benefits of Ionophores for Finishing Cattle |
|
Definition
Improve Feed efficiency
• Effect on ADG – no change or slight
increase
• Decrease DMI – most prominent with
monensin (approx 6.5% decrease)
• Protein sparing effect – decrease rate of protein hydrolysis in rumen (can digest in SI instead)
• “Coccidiostat”
• Decreases incidence of lactic acidosis, bloat |
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Term
| Are ionophores used for forage-based diets? Are they beneficial? |
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Definition
not as much as with high concentrate diets
-do improve ADG and feed efficiency in growing cattle
-might improve feed efficiency in mature cattle |
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Term
| What is a short yearling vs a long yearling? |
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Definition
if born in spring
short = weaned in fall, backgrounded in winter, feedlot in spring @ 12 mo
long = weaned in fall, backgrounded in winter, pasture in spring, feedlot in fall @ 16-18mo |
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Term
| What produces better results, finishing long yearlings or short yearlings? |
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Definition
long yearlings are on forage longer, provides less energy. may finish at a greater weight than short yearlings but will also be older
short yearlings get high rates of gain sooner bc go on grain sooner.
whether to produce long or short depends on how much money you can get/kg HCW, and grain costs. if ROI for finished cattle is low atm, or grain costs are high, should keep them on pasture for longer |
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Term
| Advantages of Feeding Calf Feds |
|
Definition
• Shorter amount of time to market
• Improved feed efficiency for finishing
period
• Less change of ownership |
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Term
| Advantages of Feeding Yearlings |
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Definition
• Less time in feedlot – (more lots per year)
• Less concentrate to purchase for feedlot
phase
• Can prevent premature fattening
– Small & medium framed calves
• Calves are prepared for feedlot
– Health (would shipping fever be a problem
with yearlings ?)
– Consuming feed
– Compensatory gain
• Higher ADG during finishing period |
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Term
| Why does it take more feed to put on a unit of fat vs a unit of protein? |
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Definition
| fat replaces water whereas muscle (protein) draws in water |
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Term
| Does feed conversion efficiency increase or decrease over time? |
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Definition
| decrease, takes more feed per unit gain as animal starts getting fatter |
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Term
|
Definition
Cow-calf: direct or sales
Stocker/backgrounder: direct o sales
Feedlot: auction, direct to packer, specialty products |
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Term
| What is live vs rail sales to packers? |
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Definition
live = based on animal BW
rail = based on hot carcass weight |
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Term
| What factors influence meat yield & quality grade? |
|
Definition
Conformation
Sex
Maturity
Fat (colour/texture/cover)
Meat colour/texture/marbling |
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Term
| Why is fat important for meat grade? (2) |
|
Definition
marbling = juiciness but NOT tenderness
fat prevents cold shortening |
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Term
|
Definition
| % of carcass that is red meat |
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Term
| What is muscle score based on? |
|
Definition
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|
Term
Major determinant of quality grade in
North America |
|
Definition
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Term
| Does marbling affect tenderness? |
|
Definition
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|
Term
Things to consider when deciding what type of cattle to
raise as a cow/calf producer, how long to retain them, etc |
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Definition
Current & future market
What feeders want (hide colour, carcass traits, growth potential)
How much feed you have on hand |
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Term
| Things to consider when deciding what type (age class and breed) of cattle to feed, how long to feed them, etc |
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Definition
-age at slaughter
-carcass weight
-yield grade
-quality grade
-where to market cattle
-feed efficiency |
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