Beef Industry An Overview of the Beef Industry in Georgia

Beef IndustryAn Overview of the Beef Industry in Georgia Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Scott Register April 2006

Objectives Students will be able to: • Explain the importance of the beef industry in Georgia. • Name 4 beef meat cuts. • Name 3 of the 4 common Georgia beef breeds. • State key facts about each breed. • Name the three of the top 10 beef producing counties. • Rank the Beef Industry compared to other Georgia agricultural commodities. • Rank Georgia with other states in beef production.

Why is the beef industry important? Every day, 76 million Americans eat beef. 99% of a beef carcass is either used as meat or recovered as by-products Consumers spend more than half of their meat budget on beef Beef is one of the best sources of iron, the single nutrient most often lacking in the diets of adult women, young children and athletes.

Beef Cuts There are 8 sections of the beef carcass that are designated into retail cuts. There are 44 of these retail cuts The chart to the left show these most common cuts of beef.

Beef Cattle Breeds Breed Types Advantages Disadvantages British • Angus Low birth weight Lower growth rate • Hereford High fertility • Shorthorn Moderate milk production Moderate frame size European • Charolais High growth rate Increased dystocia • Gelbvieh Larger frame size Increased maintenance • Maine-Anjou High milk production • Pinzgauer • Simmental • South Devon • Tarentaise Zebu • American Brahman Adaptability to adverse environments Lower growth rate • British Derivatives Moderate to high milk production Poor carcass quality • European Derivatives Maximum heterosis in crossbreeding

Common Breeds of Georgia • There are many beef breeds that are raised in Georgia • The following are the 4 most common: • Angus • Hereford • Charolais • Simmental

Angus • Angus cattle can be either black or red in color • They originated in the United Kingdom • They have low, compact bodies and are noted for the fine quality of their meat.

Hereford • Originated in England • Came to the United States in 1817 • They are a very hearty breed • A very productive breed

Charolais • Originated in France • Valued because they grow at a fast rate and reach large size • They are white or creamy white in color

Simmental • Originated in Switzerland • Their color varies from pale gold to dark reddish brown. The head is usually white in front of the eyes with the lower parts of the legs also largely white • Valued for good weight gain (2 to 3 pounds per day) and very docile

Operations • About 71% of Georgia cattle operations are commercial cow-calf producers, 21% are purebred cow-calf producers, and 8% are stockers • Cattle is raised in all 159 counties of Georgia Therefore, the beef industry has a large impact on the state's economy (estimated at more than $2 billion). • In Georgia, 87% of our 23,000 producers own less than 100 head of cattle. Yet this group owns only 46% of cattle. The other 13% of Georgia cattlemen (3,300 producers) own 54% of the cattle.

Beef in Georgia’s Counties

Georgia Commodities

Assessment 1. What percentage of a beef carcass is used as either meat or as a byproduct? A. 10% B. 28% C. 78% D. 99% 2. Consumers as a whole spend more than ____ of their meat budget on beef. A. 1/3 B.1/2 C. they make D. their monthly income 3. There are 8 sections of the beef carcass that are designated into ____. A. retail cuts B. production cuts C. choice cuts D. USDA select 4. Name four of the eight cuts. 5. There are three categories that most beef cattle fall under; Zebu, European and ___. 6. What are the four most abundant breeds of beef cattle in Georgia? 7. What color can angus cattle be? A. Black B. White C. Red D. Black or Red 8. Beef cattle are grown in _______ counties in Georgia. A. 125 B. 159 C. 200 D. 36 9. Name two of the top five beef cattle producing counties in Georgia. 10. How does the beef industry rank in comparison to other Georgia agricultural commodities? A. 1 B. 7 C. 10 D. 25

Assessment Key • D 99% • B ½ • A retail cuts • Round, Sirloin, Fore shank and Brisket, Chuck, Short loin, Rib, Flank and Short plate, and Other cuts • British • Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and Simmental • D Black or Red • B 159 • Carroll, Morgan, Madison, Wilkes, and Jackson\ • B 7

References • http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/ • http://www.georgiastats.uga.edu/ • http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/GAR/reportgaag.htm

Beef Industry An Overview of the Beef Industry in Georgia