Introduction to Beef

Objectives

• Identify major Beef breeds and their traits

• Predict the traits that would result from crossbreeding

• Interpret the importance of crossbreeding in the Beef industry

Essential Question

• Why do farmers breed different kinds of beef cattle?

( Give examples of what farmers goals might be. In other words..)

What do they want as the end result from breeding 2 different animals?

PUREBRED

• Recognized family line of an animal • Unmixed • Parents are standards of the breed • Eligible for registration in a breed

association

ANGUS • Black or Red- Originated in northeast corner of Scotland. • It is naturally polled. • One of the main breeds in the US. Mature bull weight 1800-2400 pounds. Mature

cow weight 1200-1600 pounds. • Known for mothering ability, marbling, easy to create hybrid vigor

HEREFORD

• Originated in England. • They can be polled or horned. • Mature bull weight 2200-

2400pounds. Mature cow weight 1200-1400 pounds.

• Known for high beef yields and efficient production

SHORTHHORN

• First beef breed to be brought to North America.

• The breed is red, white or any combination of red and white.

• Mature bull weight 2200-2800 pounds. Mature cow weight 1300-1700 pounds.

• Originally developed as a dual purpose breed milking and meat ( Remember Milking Shorthorn?)

CHAROLAIS

• Origin is from central France. • They are white, golden wheat or straw

color. • Mature bull weight 2500-5000 pounds.

Mature cow weight 1250-2000 pounds.

• They can be either polled or horned.• The breed is noted for its large size

and rapid gain. (What do beef cows “gain”?)

BRAHMAN

• Drooping ears, long face, prominent hump and an abundance of loose, pendulous skin.

• Mature bull weight 1600-2200 pounds. Mature cow weight 1000-1400 pounds.

• They have excellent heat tolerance and insect resistance characteristics

CROSSBREEDING

• Definition: Mating of 2 purebred animals to form a cross. Crossbreeding is used to emphasize, extract, and design desired traits or characteristics that are reflected in the offspring.

• The offspring of crossbreeding, is known as a crossbred.

BEEFMASTER

• Development began in 1908 at Lasater Ranch in Texas

• Brahman (50%), Shorthorn (25%) and Hereford (25%).

• Mature bull weight 2500-2800 pounds. Mature cow weight 1400-1600 pounds.

• The majority of the breed is horned.

• Calving Ease from: ??? • High production from: ???• Produced by crossing Hereford cattle with a solid black breed, usually Aberdeen Angus

BLACK BALDY

Vocabulary• Put your name and the date on the top.• Define the following words:

– Purebred, Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Beefmaster, Brahman, Polled, Bull, Cow, Crossbreeding, Marbling, Hybrid Vigor

Beef Anatomy

Objectives

• Review basic cattle anatomy both gross and digestive

• Identify location of cuts of meat on a beef animal

Essential Question

• Name 4 different cuts of meat you can find in the grocery store.

Anatomy

Rumen

• Largest of 4 compartments• Its Job :FERMENTATION

– Continuous mixing and moving– Anaerobic environment/Diverse bacterial

pop.– Breaks down fibrous feed in volatile fatty

acids

• Papillae lining• Nonfunctional at birth , shunted off

Reticulum

• Feed boluses come from here• Honeycomb appearance• Its Job : REGURGITATION

– Regurgitation from rumen to mouth– Expulsion to omasum– Fermentation gases

• Many folds• Its Job: REDUCE

– Reduces particle size– Absorb some water, minerals

Why would you reduce particle size?

Omasum

Abomasum• “True Stomach”• Glandular, meaning it secretes

– Does your stomach excrete anything? Why ?

• Its Job: DIGESTION– Begin digestion here– Feed leaves abomasum and enters the small

intestine where further digestion takes place– Feed leaving abomasum is high in water

content• Why do you think this happens?

Cuts of Meat

In Your Freezer

Brisket

Chuck

Sirloin Joint

Ribs

Food Safety in the Beef Industry

• FDA: Monitors use of animal drugs by the livestock industry

• FSIS: Inspects livestock and carcasses for meat safety

Mad Cow Disease

• Fatal • Neurodegenerative • Zoonotic • Takes up to 4 years to show

symptoms • Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Beef Meat Project

• Pick a cut of beef. • Find a recipe on the internet that uses

the cut of meat you were assigned. OR• Find a product for purchase that

contains your cut of meat. Be sure to include what type of meat it is (Angus etc.) and the company that makes the product and its relative price.

Vocabulary Sheet Put your name and the date on the top.Define the following words:

Brisket, Tenderloin, Chuck

Safe Beef Practices

Cattle Movement

• Flight animal

Breeding Cattle

• Artificial Insemination

Breeding Cattle

• Gestation- 275 days approximately • Calving/ Parturition

Handling Facilities

Beef Industry

Objectives

• Identify levels of beef industry and their purpose

• Produce the correct chain of events beef cattle follow from farm to factory.

Essential Question

• What is the end goal when feeding and caring for cattle?

• How to farmers achieve this goal?

Cuts of Meat Review

Start with a Herd

Management Practices • Ear Tagging • Branding • Tattooing • Registration

Feed them right Grass fed vs. grain fed vs. a mixed ration

Feedstuffs are items that when mixed together can provide a Total Mixed Raton

Some feedstuffs includeBone and Meat MealFeather MealMolassesCottonseedCornSoybean mealDistiller’s Grain MUCH MORE

Why you feed your animals a mix of different things?

Feeds Activity

• Make your own feed • What would you put in it? Why?• Hint: Think about the stuff you eat.

Watch them grow

• Average daily gain: Pounds of weight gained per day

What does it look like?

• It is March 1st. Your beef cow’s ADG is 5 pounds per day. On April 1st, how much will your cow weigh?

• In 30 days your beef cow is going to market and needs to weigh 1300 pounds. It currently weighs 1000 pounds. What does your ADG need to be for your cow to be ready for market in 30 days??

Feedlot and Finishing

• Finishing: final preparation for market. • Feedlot: area of land where large numbers of

animals are fed to be fattened for market. • Are their any environmental issues to consider?

Cow/Calf Operation

• Involves keepings a herd of beef cattle that are bred each year to produce calves. These calves are then sold to growers who will feed the calves until they are market weight (big enough to sell for meat).

Hobby farms

• Farm is not the main source of income ($) for the owner.

• Most Delaware Cattle farms are hobby farms

Vocabulary Sheet

• Herd• Branding• Registration• Feedstuff• Silage• Forage• Average Daily Gain• Feedlot• BSE

• Finishing• Cow/Calf Operation• Hobby Farm• BSE • Flight Animal• Flight zone• Parturition

Project• Write a 1-2 page paper on the following:• You are a beef cattle producer. Explain the

process your cow will follow from farm to factory. Be sure to include what steps you will

take to make sure you get the most money for your beef cows.

• You should include topics like: breed you have chosen and why, what your animals live in, nutrition information,

and who you’re marketing. Use correct vocabulary!