Know your business, then choose the right breed; breed choice is merely a tool to make your business work. The next step is to identify the specific environmental and climate conditions that your cattle will face on your farm.
This determines what specific traits to look for when you begin assessing potential breeds. As you can see from this brief list, clearly identifying the environmental challenges and production strategies that your cattle will face on your farm allows you to look for very specific characteristics once you begin evaluating beef cattle breeds. There is no such thing as the perfect beef cattle breed, just the perfect breed or breed combination to suit your farm's climate, production strategy, and unique market opportunities.
Every breed has an edge. Finding the breed that has the unique adaptations suited to your farm simply requires digging a little deeper into their ancestral climates and breed histories. Beef cattle breeds are typically grouped as follows: The tropical breeds Bos inducus evolved from domesticated Asian aurochs. They are also commonly known as Zebu Cattle and are easily identifiable by their characteristic shoulder hump, which the European cattle breeds lack.
The European beef cattle breeds were domesticated independently from Zebu cattle. Archaeologists even suggest that European breeds do not all have a single source, but rather that there were multiple simultaneous independent domestication events.
DNA studies reveal that wild European aurochs contributed greatly to modern European cattle genetics, though not uniformly, with only a little genetic contribution from Northern European aurochs, but much more from Southern European and Middle Eastern aurochs. The European beef cattle breeds are further divided into British Breeds and Continental Breeds based on whether they evolved on the British Isles or on the European continent.
Then there are Sanga Cattle Bos inducus africanus. They are a subgroup of Zebu Cattle, which are specific to Africa. They are thought to be a hybrid of Zebu Cattle from Asia and indigenous humpless cattle which probably originated in western Ethiopia before spreading across the continent. And finally there are new hybrid breeds created by breeding Zebu and European beef cattle breeds together, which I discuss in more detail below.
Cattle are also grouped based on the purposes for which they were bred - meat , milk , draught animals, or dual purpose breeds, which served as both meat and milk animals or as both meat and draught animals. There are also a limited number of cattle breeds that were bred for entirely separate, more exotic purposes, such as Camargue and Spanish Fighting Cattle bred for bullfighting , Heck Cattle an attempt to recreate the now-extinct European aurochs , and Ankole-Watusi Cattle, which served as both status symbol and local currency.
They thrive in the heat of the tropics, but suffer if you expect them to winter graze through freezing temperatures. Those big long ears are ideal for expelling heat, but are vulnerable to frostbite. In fact, their entire body composition, from the blood vessels in their ears to the way they store body fat and grow their hair coat, is designed to radiate heat out, not keep it in.
Tropical breeds thrive in hot climates that cause their cold-adapted European cousins to suffer from overheating. But their advantage in hot climates is also their greatest liability in cold climates. The nutritional requirements and feed costs to keep tropical breeds warm during a cold snowy winter are significantly higher than among cattle adapted to cold climates. But don't completely discount the tropical beef cattle breeds from a winter grazing program in northern climates.
They have been used successfully in crossbreeding programs to combine the heat-tolerant and parasite-resistant genetics of tropical breeds with the cold-adapted hardiness of Continental and British Breeds, especially in some parts of the continental USA where seasonal temperature differences can range from tropical to sub-arctic over the course of same year.
For example, Beefmaster Cattle, a relatively recent breed created in the 's, successfully mixed Brahman genetics with Shorthorn and Hereford to create a hardy breed capable of thriving in the climate extremes of Texas, though they have since spread far beyond the Texas borders.
Brangus cattle are another hybrid breed that was developed to combine the most desirable characteristics of Brahman and Angus cattle to create a hardy, heat tolerant, early maturing breed. Tropical beef cattle breeds are known for:. The British and Continental breeds Bos Taurus evolved to thrive in a variety of cold climates. Their body fat layers, hair growth, and entire body composition are designed to conserve heat, not expel it.
The wide variations between these breeds reflects whether they evolved in cold damp coastal areas, cold dry climates of the north, high altitude or boggy lowland, temperate regions in western Europe, or in the hot regions near the Mediterranean Sea. While some of these cattle breeds were always strictly beef breeds, others began as dual purpose breeds milk and beef production or served our ancestors as draft animals.
To this day these traits are still preserved in their appearance and adaptability. Just as the tropical breeds were not designed for northern climates, these British and Continental breeds did not evolve to thrive in tropical regions. They overheat - some worse than others depending on the climates of their evolutionary history. Because their bodies are not designed to expel heat, they essentially have a permanent fever in the sticky heat of the tropics. This leads to significantly-reduced weight gains and a whole host of health issues.
It's called tropical degeneration. But again, do not discount the British and Continental breeds altogether from a grazing program in hot climates.
They can be successfully crossbred with tropical breeds to bring together characteristics that allow them to thrive in hot climates. Producers can supply water using anything from buckets to troughs to automatic watering systems.
As with feeders, many different styles are available. The key is that water should be fresh, clean, and available at all times. Automatic frost-free waterers may be used on pasture or in confinement for cattle. Permanent spring improvements can provide a year-round water supply for beef cattle on pasture. This system has additional crushed rock around it to prevent excess mud accumulation in the area.
Simplistic float tank trough systems can be easily moved depending on cattle location. Many beef cattle, particularly mature cows and bulls, graze pastures throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Producers should pay close attention to pasture height in an attempt to maximize forage utilization.
Pastures should be subdivided to provide an adequate amount of forage for the grazing time, often four to five days. Animals should be moved to a new section of pasture by the time forage has been grazed down to 4 inches in height. Rotating pastures ensures the nutrients from manure are spread out and that cattle utilize available resources efficiently.
Continuous grazing can cause forage stand damage in overused or high-traffic areas and encourages weed growth in other less-desirable areas of the pasture. A good-quality perimeter fence contains livestock inside the pasture and keeps predators out.
Many producers prefer high-tensile fencing with some wires electrified. Subdivision fencing divides larger fields into smaller areas to better manage forage growth. Subdivision fencing for beef cattle can often be a single strand of polywire with step-in posts to reduce input costs. Most cattle will respect one strand if it is electrified. Pastures should also provide access to water. This ranges from temporary systems that move with the animals to permanent systems. Many producers choose to install underground systems that can be accessed throughout a pasture system to reduce the labor of hauling water.
Depending on the system and region, it may be necessary to access electricity to heat waterers in cold months. Routine health care employs practices to prevent disease. Common practices include tagging, vaccinating, dehorning, castrating, and deworming. These practices require basic equipment such as tags and tagging pliers, syringes and needles, elastrator bands, a band expander tool, and a drench syringe or drench gun.
Tagging is considered a health care piece of equipment because tagging is important to identify treated animals. Producers may also wish to dehorn their cattle to prevent horn growth. This is often performed with an electric dehorner shortly after the horn buds break through the skin.
Dehorning prevents future injury to other animals and handlers. Hoof trimming is another health care equipment item. Hoof trimming is not considered routinely necessary in most beef cattle operations. In addition, most beef cattle must be put in a tilt table in order to have their hooves trimmed for the safety of both the trimmer and the animal.
Therefore, many beginning cattle producers will contact a professional should hoof care be necessary. A bander can be used to castrate young males. Larger equipment may be used by beef cattle operations to allow producers to handle or manage animals more efficiently. Producers can use a scale to monitor animal growth performance at weaning and other times throughout the year. A scale should also be used to weigh animals to calculate the correct dosage for medication treatments.
Three types of scales are often used by livestock producers: beam, dial, and digital. Equipment for beef cattle production should include these items necessary to maintain herd health, like this drench for deworming animals. Photo credit: Dr. Tara Felix, Penn State Extension. Most feeder calves and finished cattle are bought and sold on a weight basis. Therefore, because the economics in beef systems are based on pounds of calf to sell or weight of finished cattle, scales are an important part of cattle operations.
Scales can also help monitor weights at critical times throughout the year, such as breeding, weaning, and so on. All scales should be tested to ensure accuracy. Simple scales can be placed in line in a handling system. Handling system equipment allows producers to more efficiently handle animals. It functions by gathering animals into a group pen and then funneling them into the chute. Animals walk single file down the chute, where they are held for routine health care or sorting.
Gates at both ends of the system contain the animals while producers perform tasks. Gates can function by sliding back and forth or up and down like a guillotine. A head catch in the chute restrains the cattle for necessary procedures, while ensuring the safety of both the cattle and the human handlers. If the beef cattle operation intends to use implants to increase growth performance of market animals, a handling system should be used.
In addition, if the operation desires to breed using artificial insemination, a handling system is a must. An alley allows the beef cattle producers to move several cattle at a time, making cattle handling easier and more efficient.
Gestation length for beef cattle is about nine months, varying slightly among breeds and sires. However, the typical gestation length for most cows ranges from to days. Cattle will cycle throughout the year. However, managing a defined breeding season will help improve the efficiency of the cow herd and marketability of the calves. Most productive cattle operations maintain a single breeding season. While many operations breed animals to calve in the spring when weather is warming up, some may choose to calve in the fall to take advantage of a less saturated calf market.
Purebred cattle used for seedstock are often bred to calve early in the year, January or February, so that those animals can enter the breeding herd at heavier weights. Estrus cycles and age at puberty vary slightly among breeds. If breeding heifers females that have not calved before , they should weigh at least 65 to 70 percent of their mature weight by the start of the breeding season with a target of 85 percent of their mature weight at calving.
Generally, it is expected that heifers will meet this weight and be ready to breed between 11 and 15 months of age. It is also advisable to breed heifers one cycle ahead of mature cows so that they have additional time to rebreed the following season. Some producers will take this a step further and synchronize their females so that they are sure to breed the heifers at the desired time and the rest of the cows come into heat, or cycle, at the same time about a month later.
This synchronization is necessary for an efficient and effective artificial insemination procedure and is most often accomplished with the use of a CIDR, although feed additive protocols exist for heifers. The CIDR contains hormones and is inserted vaginally into the females. Many protocols are available for synchronization and beginning producers are advised to work with their veterinarian to establish their own on-farm protocol.
In most instances, cattle give birth outdoors and, thus, calving season is timed to start when weather warms up and grass is available on pasture. However, some producers prefer to breed earlier in the breeding season in order to market at specific times in the summer or fall.
In other situations, producers may breed earlier so that calves are older and heavier while on pasture. Producers wishing to calve earlier may need to house animals in a barn, such as a bank barn, depending on the climate. Calving indoors can help prevent ears from freezing and ensure calf viability in colder temperatures.
As a cow nears her time to give birth, she exhibits several signs that the birthing process will begin. Shortly before calving, the udder will begin to tighten. This tightening is the udder filling with colostrum. Colostrum is the first milk and it contains antibodies that help protect newborn calves from disease.
When the cow is ready to give birth, the muscles around her hips will begin to relax and may appear as if they are sinking. The vulva changes color and is most apparent with lighter skin colors. For example, a light pink color will change to a darker pink color. Perhaps more noticeably, the vulva will swell. The udder will feel full and tight at this point. The cow will also refuse feed and move away from the herd.
The first sign that the female is in labor is the appearance of the water bag. Within a short period of time, the front feet and nose of the newborn should appear.
This will progress as the female pushes to expel the newborn. Once the calf is born, the mother should begin licking to dry off the newborn and encourage the calf to stand and nurse.
A visible water bag or feet indicate impending calving. Typically, most beef cows calve on pasture and require little assistance. If assistance is required, inexperienced producers should consult a veterinarian or an experienced producer for assistance. Assistance may be required if a calf has not been delivered within six hours of the water bag appearing or if the cow is found straining and the water bag appears to have already been ruptured.
Always use caution when trying to work with or around laboring cows or cows that have recently delivered. Dams will defend their young well against predators but may turn this aggression on an unsuspecting human trying to tag or examine a new calf as well.
Pay close attention to newborns for the first couple days after birth. Mothers should be attentive to newborns and willing to stand for newborns to nurse. Newborns should stretch when they stand and appear alert. Newborns that cry for their mother or rush to nurse as soon as they get up likely are not receiving enough milk. Weak calves may require feeding with a tube. According to this evidence, base the selection of a breed on the level of performance in your environment.
The breeds that excelled in the MARC comparison may not fit your program exactly. Cattle generally perform at a higher level in northern climates. Heat and humidity are detrimental to most production traits. In a more recent Florida report, Florida bulls gained almost a pound more per day in Montana than their counterparts in Florida. Nevertheless, the Florida bulls out-performed the Montana bulls in Florida and the Montana bulls performed better than the Florida bulls in Montana.
Cattle developed in northern climates with free choice corn silage during the winter months will do poorly when brought to the humid South and turned out on stockpiled fescue and trace-mineral salt for the winter. If your program has been designed to provide limited winter feeding, the calving season should be in the spring and the breed should be moderate in both growth and milk production.
If you decide to select a fast-growing, heavy-milking breed, provide the necessary feed requirements to achieve optimum performance. Select a breed or breeds that your operation can manage and you can feel confident about marketing.
Other breeds fit certain specialty markets. If you are leaning toward a specialty breed that is selected for some trait other than beef production, you must accept the risk of a limited market for the chance at the higher prices sometimes received for the product. You may decide to select a breed that is amply available, so replenishing the herd is easier. On the other hand, you may select a breed that is relatively unavailable in your area in order to offer a unique alternative for other breeders.
For commercial production, it is important to recognize that the premium is paid for uniformity. In this case, being dramatically different can mean more difficult marketing. Brown, Extension Animal Scientist. Classes, Workshops, and Club Meetings UGA Extension offers a wealth of personalized services like workshops, classes, consultation, certifications, camps, and educator resources.
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Table 1. Fertilizer Hay purchase vs. Market Price Season Demand Mgt. Low birth weight High fertility Moderate milk production Moderate frame size.
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