Mini Test! When: Wednesday 4/8/15

1. Mini Test! When: Wednesday 4/8/15 What: Breed ID and Characteristics of Polled Hereford, Angus, Brahman

2. Beef, it’s what’s for dinner

3. What is a Breed? • a group of animals that have certain traits in common • color • size • body structure • place of origin • horned or polled

4. What is a Purebred? • animals of known ancestry where all parents etc. are of the same breed • Breed associations register purebred animals, develop markets for those animals, and organize breed shows

5. What is Crossbreeding? • mating animals of the same species, but different breeds • Angus mated to Hereford • crossbreed to achieve desired animal traits

6. The Industry • Average US herd is 100 head • Over 40 breeds in the US, as well as crosses

7. Texas Longhorn

8. What are the English Beef Breeds? • Hereford - Red & white, horned or polled • most popular in the U.S. • Angus - bred to compete with Hereford • smaller cows and calves • excellent conformation (body type) • marbled meat • resistant to pinkeye & cancer eye (due to black) • Shorthorn - dual purpose breed (meat/milk) • Largest segment of the industry

9. Hereford

10. Polled Hereford

11. Angus

12. Shorthorn

13. Other Beef Breeds • Brahman - from France • hot & humid climates • disease resistant • Charolais - large & long body, fast growth • used to increase size of English breeds • increasing in popularity due to low marbling • Santa Gertrudis - 3/8 Brahman & 5/8 shorthorn • popular in southern U.S. • Brangus - 3/8 Brahman & 5/8 Angus

14. Brahman

15. Charolais

16. Santa Gertrudis

17. Brangus

18. What are Exotics? • animals not common to U.S. • used for increasing calf weights • importation laws restrict bringing exotics into the U.S.

19. Beefalo

20. Beefmaster

21. Belgian Blue

22. Belted Galloway

23. Chianina

24. Dexter

25. Galloway

26. Gelbvieh

27. Highland

28. Limousin

29. Simmental

30. South Devon

31. Beef Production • Cow-Calf Production: own cows, sell weaner calves • Stocker: buy weaner calves, sell yearlings • Feedlot Finishing: buy calves, fatten, sell to slaughter house

32. Beef Production • Cow-Calf: most common need range land calve in spring, sell calves in fall feed 2# roughages per 100# of cow weight in winter (extra for cold weather) supplement with needed proteins, minerals, vitamins feed best hay to those that need it the most (pregnant, lactating, heifers) lots of clean water & free choice salt

33. Stocker • Step between weaning and finishing or fattening of the animals prior to slaughter • Weaned calves put to pasture for skeletal and muscular growth. Must be physically mature to go to feedlot

34. Feedlot Finishing • place calves in feedlot 500-700# • feed high concentrates (grain) 2-4 months • slaughter at 1000-1200#

35. Beef Terminology • A Mature Male is called a: Bull • A Mature Female is called a: Cow • The act of Giving Birth is called: Calving • Gestation = 283 days • A Castrated Male is called a: Steer • An Immature Female is called a: Heifer

36. Evaluating Meat Animals • Loin Eye Area • Length of Loin • Rump • Height • Depth of Body • Width/Stockiness

37. Let’s do the sheep and pigs!