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Cow-Calf Operations

Cow-Calf Operations. Its all about BEEF!. Advantages. Forage is cheaper than feed. Less labor requirements. Low death loss. Adapt well. Good demand for producers, especially small producers, because inexpensive. Disadvantages.

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Cow-Calf Operations

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  1. Cow-Calf Operations Its all about BEEF!

  2. Advantages • Forage is cheaper than feed. • Less labor requirements. • Low death loss. • Adapt well. • Good demand for producers, especially small producers, because inexpensive.

  3. Disadvantages • Through droughts, cost increases, due to no grass and feeding feed • Don’t convert grass as good as feed. • Fewer offspring per year, compared to other species. • High cost to start operation; i.e. land

  4. Cow-Calf Operations • How does it work? • What type of cattle are used? • When is the calving season?

  5. What’s the Bull’s Job? • How many cows can one bull breed each season? • How many bulls would you need if owned 200 cows? • What is another way to breed your cows?

  6. Heifers: What are these creatures? • When are heifers able to start breeding? • Gestation period of ~283 days (9 months) • Can a cow ever have twins?

  7. Moo-cows get hungry too! • What do we feed beef cattle? • Mainly forages- grasses and legumes. • Grasses • Bermuda, Fescue • Legumes • Clovers, Alfalfa • Pasture free of weeds. Why?

  8. Supplements • Minerals • Fed free choice • Creep feeding • What is it?

  9. Where are we at in the process? • Calf is born. • Calf is weaned. • Where does it go next?

  10. Backgrounding system • Cattle is fed high quality forages and maybe some grain for about a 4-6 month period. Usually on the fall off in spring or on in spring off in fall. • This is done to increase size of your cattle, as cheaply as possible. Because again grass is cheaper than feed.

  11. Finishing system • Cattle is fed to slaughter weight here. -start at about 800lbs -finished at 1100-1400lbs -fed for about 150-175 days • Commercial feedlots • MidWestern and Southwestern U.S. • Fed feed concentrates -high energy- corn, milo, oats

  12. Nowhere to go but,… • Slaughter House • Finally, beef is sent to HEB to be consumed by us.

  13. Review of Process • Cow calf operator- conception to weaning, 15 months. • Backgrounder- raises weaned calves until they are ready to go to feedlot. 4-6 months • Feedlot- fattens cattle to slaughter weight, usually 5-6 months. • Slaughter House to Grocery store to Table.

  14. Process Review Cont. • Total time require to get beef to the consumer. • From the first thought of the next calf crop to the table, right at or just over 2 years. • From the birth of a calf to the table, right at 16-17 months.

  15. Review • What is a cow-calf operation? • What do we feed? • Where are the beef cattle finished off?

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