Beef Production

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Beef

• Beef Production

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Compensatory Growth

• The growth which occurs when an animal is fed
  well after a period of restricted feeding.
• During the store period the frame grows but
  little flesh is put on, the winter prior to
  slaughter they are fed on a high plane of
  nutrition
• The animal experiences a higher growth rate than
  those on a continuous high plane of nutrition.
• Low cost system- housed in winter have summer
  grazing

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Conformation

• Refers to the shape of the animal to the
  distribution of muscle on the body.
• Good conformation where the muscle is
  concentrated on parts of the carcass which has
  most value
• EUROP Conformation E BEST P WORST
• 12345 Fatness
• 1 leanest 5Fattest

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Grading Carcase Quality
E U R O P P P
1 B B PA PB PC
2 B B
3 A A
4L A A
4H A A
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Grading Carcase Quality

• Most Irish Beef falls into the category of A.
• This is moderate quality beef that can be
  exported to less sensitive markets for a low
  price.
• Beef in category B is excellent quality and can
  be exported to markets like Germany and France.
• Use of continental breeds and early slaughtering
  can help improve the grade of the carcase.

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Development

• Nervous Tissue first
• Then Bone
• Then Muscle and
• Finally FAT
• From 2 years old there is a sharp increase in fat
  
• Wasteful to feed.
• Early Maturing Breeds Hereford (1.5-2.0)
• Intermediate Maturing Breeds Hereford X Friesian
  
• Late Maturing Breeds Charolais (2.5 years)

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Condition Scoring

• This is carried out by farmers to assess if an
  animal is ready for slaughter or fit for mating.
• It is carried out by running a hand along the rib
  cage and back bone to assess the level of fat
  cover.
• In a scale of 0 to 5, 0 is extremely thin and 5
  is extremely fat. Scores in the middle are most
  desirable.
• It is very subjective and requires a lot of
  experience.

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Factors Affecting Conformation

• Sex
• bull, steer, cow
• Bulls grow fastest but mature later, while
  heifers grow slowly but mature early..
• Breed
• Continental breeds best British- Dual purpose-
  Dairy worst

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Learning Check....

• Explain the term compensatory growth.
• Explain conformation with reference to the EUROP
  scale
• List the 4 stages of development in an animal.
• Explain condition Scoring.

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Breeding Programme

• Calving dates
• Spring calving system
• Cheap summer grass
• Breeds
• AI versus Bull
• Diet- have to fed well before mating to improve
  its condition scoring higher chance of
  conception
• Calving interval- every 12mths
• Heat detection

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Breeding Management

• Most suckler herds employ a spring calving
  system.
• This is to get the best use of summer grass.
• Most income comes from the sale of the calves so
  it is essential that each cow produce at least
  one reared calf per year.
• Reproductive efficiency refers to the number of
  calves weaned per 100 cows served.
• Good farms would have a Reproductive Efficiency
  of at least 90 100.
• The most important factor for achieving
  productivity is diet.

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Breeding Management.

• Animals should be in good condition, but not fat,
  before mating.
• They should have a condition score of 2.5 or
  greater .
• Calving interval also needs to be considered.
• It is best to have a calving interval of 12
  months to get the most of the spring grass.
• Accurate heat detection is essential to ensuring
  the cows become pregnant.
• In large farms, where a bull is feasible, the
  bull is able to detect heat very efficiently.

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Selecting Female Farm Stock

• Age
• Disease free
• No sign of discharge
• Good Feet
• Good Teeth
• Breed
• Pedigree
• Udder Disease

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Heat Detection AI

• Cows will come into heat 3 8 weeks after
  calving and every 21 days after.
• The cow should be serviced by a bull or AI at
  each heat period or else essential time will be
  missed.
• Detecting heat can be quite difficult, so the
  herd should be observed at least four times daily
• Cows will attempt to mount other cows during this
  time so tail painting is a good method
• Most servicing of cows is done by Artificial
  Insemination.
• As soon as the cow is detected as being in heat,
  the AI station should be informed

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A.I.

• Sperm of a superior bull can be diluted and is
  store in liquid nitrogen until a female is ready
  to be serviced.
• This allows a large number of animals to be
  serviced by one bull.
• The sperm is then introduced into the cows uterus
  artificially.

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AI - 2

• AI is extremely important in farm and herd
  management.
• It involves the artificial insertion of sperm
  cells into a female.
• The sperm (contained in semen) is obtained from
  genetically suitable males, selected for their
  characteristics.
• It is used to improve the genetic quality of the
  herd.
• Semen is collected, diluted and stored (usually
  in liquid nitrogen (-196oC) as it doesnt damage
  the sperms cells but also extends their life)
  before being inserted into the female while in
  heat.

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AI Advantages

• Can allow for one bull to serve up to 60,000
  females.
• Bull is not exposed to genital diseases.
• Semen can be stored for many years.
• Farmers can choose from a huge range of sires,
  depending on the use of the offspring.
• Fertilisation is more likely from AI.
• More accurate calving times.
• No need to purchase and care for a bull, meaning
  it is much safer for the farmer.

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AI - Disadvantages

• Timing and heat detection are critical more
  work for the farmer at this stage.
• More expensive if animals heat periods are
  missed.
• Missing heat periods also increases calving
  interval.

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Bulls

• Two ways to rate bulls
• Performance testing- refers to keeping records of
  the animals individual performance- growth rate,
  FCR- comparing them with records of other
  animals under similar conditions
• Progeny testing- refers to keeping records of an
  animals offspring comparing them with the
  offspring of other animals under similar
  conditions

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Castration

• The Burdizzo is a castration device which employs
  a large clamp designed to break the blood vessels
  leading into the testicles.
• When blood flow is lost the testicles shrink,
  soften, and eventually deteriorate completely.
• Castration must be completed at least 4 weeks
  before weaning or at least 2 weeks after weaning.

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Learning Check....

1. What is meant by reproductive efficiency?
2. List the factors for selecting female breeding
   stock.
3. What is AI?
4. Give the advantages and Disadvantages of AI.
5. Define the terms progeny and performance testing
6. List the main factors in a successful beef
   breeding strategy.
7. What is a burdizzo?

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Vaccination of farm animals

• Vaccine is a non disease causing dose of a
  particular disease.
• Protect against!
• Injection. (intravenous or intramuscular)
• When a pathogen enters the animal an antigen will
  trigger the immune system to produce antibodies.
• These fight against the disease if they come up
  against it in the future.
• They do not work against viruses

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To reduce calf mortality

• Have an experienced person on hand during
  calving- observation
• Feed colostrum within 6 hours of birth
• Call a vet if necessary

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Late Pregnancy - Feeding

• Should be fed on an increasing plane of nutrition
  about 2 months prior to calving as the size of
  the womb increases rapidly , the calf is
  developing quickly
• Calf fed well 6-7 months of the year
• Good foetal development
• Strong healthy calves
• Good milk production for 5-6 months
• Good grass sufficient
• Conc. fed prior to after calving

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Feed for Maintenance

• The amount of food needed to keep the farm animal
  healthy but not productive.
• The amount of food needed to make a farm animal
  produce meat, milk or eggs which is always more
  than the basic maintenance ration.

Feed for Production
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Buildings used in Beef Production

• Slatted Units are used for winter housing of beef
  animals.
• These consist of separate slatted compartments
  sharing a central feeding area.
• Dung and Urine drop through the slats and are
  collected in an underground tank.
• The tank should have enough capacity of the whole
  winter.
• Ventilation is important as methane gas is
  produced to the fermenting waste.

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Floor Feeding Space Required
Floor Space Feeding Space
Weanlings 1.4 m2 0.3 m
Fattening cattle 2.0 m2 0.4 m
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