Beef Cattle and IndustryBeef Cattle and Industry

Beef Cattle and IndustryBeef Cattle and Industry

I CAN …..I CAN …..- Identify the main beef breedsIdentify the main beef breeds- Explain how important the industry is and how Explain how important the industry is and how

it works. it works. - Describe the characteristics of each breedDescribe the characteristics of each breed- List the leading states and countries in the beef List the leading states and countries in the beef

industry.industry.

Figure 16–4:  Historic cattle inventory in the United States. (Source: USDA.)

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Historical EvolutionHistorical Evolution ““Breeds RevolutionBreeds Revolution” – ” –

period of great expansion period of great expansion in numbers of breeds of in numbers of breeds of beef cattle.beef cattle.

Demand for Demand for grain-fed beefgrain-fed beef Meat from cattle which Meat from cattle which

have undergone a have undergone a significant grain significant grain feeding.feeding.

Increase Carcass Increase Carcass weightweight

Top States: Beef cows & feedlotTop States: Beef cows & feedlot

Beef cow inventoryBeef cow inventory1.1. TexasTexas 5.53 mil5.53 mil2.2. Missouri 2.06 milMissouri 2.06 mil3.3. Nebraska 1.94 milNebraska 1.94 mil4.4. Oklahoma 1.86 milOklahoma 1.86 mil5.5. S. Dakota 1.66 milS. Dakota 1.66 mil

Ohio 270 thousandOhio 270 thousand

Fed cattle marketedFed cattle marketed1.1. TexasTexas 6.06 mil 6.06 mil2.2. KansasKansas 5.03 mil 5.03 mil3.3. Nebraska 4.44 milNebraska 4.44 mil4.4. Colorado 2.51 milColorado 2.51 mil5.5. Oklahoma 928 thousOklahoma 928 thous

Top Countries: Beef CattleTop Countries: Beef Cattle

# of Cattle (mil.)# of Cattle (mil.)1.1. IndiaIndia

2152152.2. BrazilBrazil

1591593.3. ChinaChina

1071074.4. USAUSA

98985.5. ArgentinaArgentina 5555

ProductionProduction(bil. lb. carcass wt.)(bil. lb. carcass wt.)

1.1. USAUSA 26262.2. BrazilBrazil 13133.3. ChinaChina 10104.4. ArgentinaArgentina 665.5. Russian Fed.Russian Fed. 55

TOP BEEF EXPORT MARKETS

•Mexico•Canada•Japan•Hong Kong •Taiwan

BEEF CATTLE FACTS• The United States and Brazil are the top beef

producing countries in the world.

• In the US, Texas has the most beef cows.

• Cattle outnumber humans in 9 states: Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

• A cow's gestation period is approximately 283. This is the average number of days from the day a cow is bred to the time she has a calf.

• The salivary glands of cattle, located beneath the tongue, produce 15-20 gallons of saliva per day.

BEEF CATTLE FACTS• A 1000-pound cow will produce 4 tons of manure in a year. • Ruminate animals like cows "chew the cud", which means

they re-chew the food they've already chewed slightly and swallowed.

• A cow spends 6 hours eating and 8 hours chewing its cud each day.

• The average cow has more than 40,000 jaw movements per day.

• The Chianina cattle were developed in Italy as a dual purpose beef/draft animal when the beef industry wanted extremely tall cattle. Though originally solid white in color, now you will likely only find black individuals in the USA.

BEEF CATTLE FACTS

• Hamburger meat from 1 steer would equal 720 quarter-pound hamburgers, enough for a family of 4 to enjoy hamburgers each day for nearly 6 months

• More than 100 medicines, including insulin and estrogen, come from cattle

• One cowhide can produce enough leather to make 20 footballs or 18 soccer balls or 18 volleyballs or 12 basketballs.

• Other products besides beef are made from the beef carcass. Leather, made from the hide, is used to make a variety of items, from clothing to basketballs. Eight pairs of cowboy boots can be made from one cowhide.

STAGES OF BEEF PRODUCTION

•Raising cattle involves numerous farms and operations, each serving a unique role in the process

COW-CALF OPERATION

• Beef production begins with ranchers who maintain a breeding herd of cows that nurture calves every year• When a calf is born, it weighs 60 to 100 pounds• Over the next few months, each calf will live off its mother’s milk and graze grass in pasture• Sell calves to Brokers/Stockers

BROKERS/ STOCKERS

•Raise calves after they have been weaned•Generally sell to feedlots

FEEDLOTS• Typically spend four to six months, during which time they have constant access to water, room to move around, and are free to graze at feed bunks containing a carefully balanced diet•Veterinarians, nutritionists and cattlemen work together to look after each animal

MARKET READY •Calves are market ready at approximately 1200-1400 pounds•Generally 18-22months old

FEED CONVERSIONS• Feed conversion ratios are a measure of an animal’s efficiency in converting feed mass into body mass• Average FCR for cattle is 6 pounds of feed for every 1 pound of weight gain … 6:1

•Practice on your own!!!!

FILL IN YOUR CHART!!!

Beef Cattle BreedsBeef Cattle Breeds

PurebredPurebred –– purity of ancestry; pedigrees recorded in their purity of ancestry; pedigrees recorded in their

breed registry breed registry CommerciaCommercial l – – livestock not registered or pedigreed; crossbredlivestock not registered or pedigreed; crossbred

Most US cattle are commercial/crossbred

Beef Cattle Breeds (identify & know purpose)Beef Cattle Breeds (identify & know purpose)

3 general categories3 general categories::1.1. British breeds (Bos taurus)–British breeds (Bos taurus)– Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn

maternalmaternal – fertility, longevity, milk production– fertility, longevity, milk production earlier maturity (puberty); less muscularearlier maturity (puberty); less muscular

2.2. Exotic or Continental breeds (Bos taurus)Exotic or Continental breeds (Bos taurus) – Simmental, – Simmental,Limousin, Charolais, etc.Limousin, Charolais, etc.

Paternal (terminal)Paternal (terminal) - growth rate, muscular, lean; large mature - growth rate, muscular, lean; large mature sizesize

Dual – purposeDual – purpose (maternal and paternal traits) (maternal and paternal traits)

Beef Cattle Breeds (identify & know Beef Cattle Breeds (identify & know purpose)purpose)

3.3. Brahman (Bos indicus)Brahman (Bos indicus) – Zebu is main strain – Zebu is main strain greatest genetic influence world-widegreatest genetic influence world-wide heat and insect tolerant; adaptable to warm environmentsheat and insect tolerant; adaptable to warm environments later puberty, low growth rate, less musclinglater puberty, low growth rate, less muscling

Important TermsImportant Terms

PolledPolled – – the animal has no horns. When the animal the animal has no horns. When the animal

starts to grow them the farmer will dehorn starts to grow them the farmer will dehorn them. them.

MarblingMarbling – – the intermix of fat and muscle together the intermix of fat and muscle together Terminal SireTerminal Sire – – A paternal-breed sire used in a terminal sire A paternal-breed sire used in a terminal sire

crossbreeding system. crossbreeding system.

CATTLE BREEDS

ANGUS

• Origin: Scotland• Colors: Black, Red• Polled• Characteristics: fast weight gain, highly

marbled meat, and outstanding maternal qualities (protective mothers that produce lots of milk for their calves)• Resistant to harsh weather, adaptable, good

natured,  mature extremely early and have a high carcass yield with nicely marbled meat.  

ANGUS

CHAROLAIS

• Origin: France• Color: White to cream• Medium to large framed , very deep and broad body• Characteristics: superior growth ability, efficient feedlot gains and in carcass cut-out values, excellent meat conformation, late maturing so have high finishing weight

CHAROLAIS

BRAHMAN

• Origin: India, from Bos indicus• Horned• Colors: most common- Solid Gray or Solid

Red• Easily identified by the hump on their back

and long floppy ears• Have loose saggy skin with sweat glands and

the ability to sweat freely contributes to their heat tolerance

• Can walk long distances to water • These are the "sacred cattle of India” 

BRAHMAN

CHIANINA

•Origin: Italy•Horned•Color: White to Steel Gray, black pigmented skin•Characteristics: BIG! well-defined muscling

CHIANINA

DEXTER

•Origin: Ireland•Smallest breed in US•Characteristics: small cattle with a broad, deep torso, short legs with heavily muscled hind quarters.•Dexters are a hardy breed.  They perform well in a variety of climates.

DEXTER

GELBVIEH (GELP-FEE)

•Origin: Germany•Horned•Colors: yellow, red, black•Characteristics: excellence in growth, feedlot efficiency, muscling and marketability, while females are known for milking ability, fertility and quiet temperament

GELBVIEH

HEREFORD

•Origin: England•Color: Red with white head, neck, brisket•Horned•Characteristics: generally docile and fast growing cattle with good beef quality

HEREFORD

LIMOUSIN

• Origin: France• Color: red, golden • Characteristics: excellent feed efficiency, adaptability and high carcass yield, good foragers, genetically "trimmed“ (little fat)• The meat is tender and fine fibered because of their low fat levels. • Poor temperment!

LIMOUSIN

MAINE-ANJOU

•Origin: France•Color: dark red with white on head, belly and rear legs•Characteristics: Very large breed, feed efficient, high cutability and marbling qualities

MAINE-ANJOU

SANTA GERTRUDIS

•Origin: US• 5/8th Shorthorn, 3/8th Brahman•Color: deep cherry red•Characteristics: high heat and tick resistance, exceptional maternal traits, develop muscle well but with no fat

SANTA GERTRUDIS

SHORTHORN

•Origin: England•Color: Red, Roan•Characteristics: early maturity, adaptability, mothering ability, reproductive performance, hardiness, good disposition, feed conversion, and longevity

SHORTHORN

SIMMENTAL

• Origin: Switzerland• Color: pale gold to dark reddish brown, white head• Characteristics: docile and easy to manage breeds, deeply muscled back and loin, excellent feed conversion  with about a 63% carcass yield.

SIMMENTAL

BEEFMASTER

• 25% Herford, 25% Shorthorn, 50% Brahman• Color: Brownish-red is most common, no color standards• Purpose: develop cattle that would be more productive than existing breeds in the harsh environment of South Texas• Six Essentials - Weight, Conformation, Milking Ability, Fertility, Hardiness and Disposition

BEEFMASTER

BEEFALO

• Cross between Buffalo and domestic cattle (any breed)• Characteristics: Superior hardiness, foraging ability, calving ease, and meat quality of the Bison with the fertility, milking ability, and ease of handling from the bovine

BEEFALO

GRADING SCALE

•All beef is inspected for wholesomeness by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)•Graded for quality and consistency • Prime, Choice and Select grades

•Marbling plays a big role in quality grades

Beef ProductsBeef Products Primary Product of Beef ProductionPrimary Product of Beef Production

Finished or Fat CattleFinished or Fat Cattle Fed to desired fatness endpointFed to desired fatness endpoint .2 to 1 inch of backfat.2 to 1 inch of backfat Intramuscular fat or marbling – Intramuscular fat or marbling – Quality GradeQuality Grade

Prime, choice, select, standard = eating qualityPrime, choice, select, standard = eating quality Utility = Dog foodUtility = Dog food

““corn – fed” 60 – 300 days – white fatcorn – fed” 60 – 300 days – white fat 1-2.5 years of age at harvest1-2.5 years of age at harvest Maximum quality at high yield of meatMaximum quality at high yield of meat Yield Grade = Yield Grade = scale of 1-5, 1 is highest % leanscale of 1-5, 1 is highest % lean Steers or heifers not used for breedingSteers or heifers not used for breeding

MARBLING •Marbling (intramuscular fat) or the little white flecks in beef, is key to flavor•The higher the amount of marbling, the higher the quality of beef.

PRIME •Less than 1.5% of all beef earns the Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime label

BEEF CUTS DIAGRAM

CHUCK• Pot roast• Short ribs• Blade steak/roast• 7 bone pot roast• Shoulder pot roast

BRISKET/ SHANK

• Brisket• Flat half

• Corned brisket• point half

• Shank Cross cut

RIB

• Rib roast• Rib steak• Rib eye steak/roast• Back ribs

SHORT LOIN

• Top Loin steak• T-bone Steak• Porterhouse steak• Tenderloin Roast/Steak

SIRLOIN

• Top Sirloin Steak• Sirloin Steak• Tenderloin Roast/ Steak • Beef Tri- Tip• Tri-Tip is a boneless cut

from the bottom sirloin

ROUND

• Round Steak• Top Round Roast/ Steak• Bottom Round roast• Tip Roast/ Steak• Eye Round Roast• Boneless Rump Roast

PLATE FLANK

• Skirt Steak • Flank Steak• Flank steak rolls