WHERE BEEF CATTLE LIVE IN TEXAS

1. WHERE BEEF CATTLE LIVE IN TEXAS

13. Scientific Classification of Cattle Bos Taurus Bos Indicus

14. The place of the beef cattle industry in U.S. agriculture The phrase “Beef is King” The beef industry is the single largest money-generating commodity in agriculture

15. The gross annual income from U.S. beef This $35 billion amounts Cattle and calves rank in the top 5 commodities for 32 of the 50 states The USA produces over 20% of the world’s beef and veal

16. Purpose of the Beef Cattle Industry in the US The purpose of the beef cattle industry in the United States • Protein supply • Grass utilization into protein • Vast amounts of crop wastes and food byproducts utilized

17. Beef have other advantages • they are rugged and adaptable • they can be fed excess grain

18. Cattle are the most numerous, most widely distributed, and most important of all the livestock species

19. Historical Perspective Probably domesticated by 6500 B.C. Historical look at U.S. cattle Numbers - notice the cyclic ups and downs of the numbers in that figure - the cycles are roughly 10-year cycles

20. Columbus brought cattle to the West Indies on his second voyage in 1493. • Cortez • Spanish missionaries distributed cattle across the American West • By the middle of the 19th century

21. After World War II Grain-fed beef Refrigeration Better fences/BLM land A marketing revolution took place A new industry segment - during the 70’s- boxed beef Consumer Demands Beef cow numbers first exceeded dairy cow numbers in 1954

22. Per capita demand for beef has been declining since 1975 - quality issues began to plague the industry - how the industry responds

23. STRUCTURE OF THE BEEF INDUSTRY The various beef industry segments - seedstock/purebred producers - commercial cow-calf producers - yearling or stocker operators - the feedlot or finishing phase

24. Geographical location of beef cattle in the U.S. • Cow-calf production • Beef cows are found near ??? • Stocker operations are drawn to ???? • Finishing cattle in feedlots is a major economic importance • Cattle are finished as secondary enterprises • Over 95% of all cattle feeding is done in the twelve states

25. In simplest terms, two factors affect all the economic traits in cattle 1) genetic progress is dependent on how heritable the trait is

26. Tools are available to help producers make genetic progress - such practices as performance testing (discuss bull test station), sire summaries and EPD’s are examples - seedstock producers and commercial cow-calf producers

27. Crossbreeding is the appropriate mating system of choice for commercial cow-calf producers - pounds of calf weaned per cow - a big problem with the nation’s cowherd - Crossbreeding is not fix all

28. The importations changed the face of the American cattle industry since the 1970’s - the British breeds had to make room for European breeds - commercial cows in the U.S. - Not one perfect breed

29. 2) Reproductive management in beef cattle - the goal of breeding herds of beef cattle

30. Each calf should be born - 85-90 days of calving season - the cow must recover from calving, start her heat cycle again, and conceive - good management is absolutely essential if this goal is to be reached

31. The estual cycle for a cow is 19-21 days and the duration of estrus (heat) is usually 13-17 hours.

32. Net calf crop – number of calves weaned and sold/number of Cows exposed - it is the simplest and best way

33. Most beef cows are mated by natural service - artificial insemination is more likely to be used Purebred or club calf situations - approximately 15 to 20%

34. Bulls should be evaluated before they are used in a breeding program - evaluation - major factors of a breeding soundness exam - a bad bull can do tremendous damage - his presence is felt for generations - bull selection is more important than the selection of any single female

35. Good records are essential to managing reproductive issues in the cow herd

36. Nutrition in Beef Cattle • Cattle are ruminants

37. Stocker feeding programs - the first is to meet minimum requirements of the calves - the second is to graze calves on forage as long as we can

38. Feedlots - use high quality feeds to bring cattle to a suitableslaughterendpoint - several types of feed programs - Yet the endpoint is to produce beef that will fit in the box and satisfy the consumer

39. A Steer is not all steak

40. Nutritional benefits to humans from beef • Beef provides high proportions of the recommended daily dietary allowance for several nutrients. • Beef is a nutrient dense food • In light of the more recent medical findings

41. Trends in the beef cattle industry The beef cattle industry is changing Consumption - market share - consumption in the 90’s was fairly stable - average per capita expenditures for meat - beef expenditures as a percentage of total beef, pork and chicken - the industry cannot survive indefinitely under this trend

42. Nutrition and health consciousness - beef is good food that is nutritious -lean beef - the problem is when beef is fat - steps have been taken - we trim and discard - genetics - cattle are being sent to market are significantly leaner - National Quality Beef Audit(s)

43. Convenient foods is also an issue related to consumption - beef doesn’t have enough good, convenience foods - three-fourths of the cooks - beef must become more convenient

44. Exports. The export market for beef looks bright for the long term - exports have been increasing since the early 1980’s - the U.S. has been a net exporter of beef since 1991 - world-wide trade agreements

45. Food safety • Food borne illnesses • Bovine Spongiform Encephalophathy (BSE) • Hormone implants and feed additives • Antibiotics

46. Environmental concerns - in 1998, the U.S. EPA announced it would increase the attention given to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) - final rules - you can bet this means more money added to the cost of production

47. Industry Integration - vertical cooperation, vertical coordination and alliances - it amounts to vertical integration