8. Phase II Beef Production
Stocker-Yearling
Intermediary step
Emphasis on frame growth
Replacement heifers
Utilize crop residue*
Photo Courtesy, Purdue University
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9. Phase III Beef Production
Feedlot (Finishing)
Grain (concentrate)
ration
Rapid growth
Harvest at
1000-1300 pounds+
What is “finished?”
USDA Economic Research Service Photo
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10. Cattle tidbits
Age at puberty: 12-15 months*
Age at weaning 5-7 months
Gestation length: 283 days
Goal: breed heifers at 15 months of age
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12. The Dairy Industry
Milk & dairy products
Secondary product: beef
Production, processing, distribution of
milk
LABOR: 2 or 3 milkings/day typical
Facility cost, capital investment
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14. Dairy Industry
Shift from smaller to
larger farms
Marketing genetics vs.
marketing milk
Little vertical integration
National Milk Producers
Federation
Milk check-off
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18. More birds
Ratites
Flat, “raft-like” keel bones
Include Camelus struthio (ostrich), Dromaius
novaehollandiae (emu), as well as cassowary
and rhea
1995, 1,200 ostriches “processed” in US
1998, 100,000 ostriches processed in US
2006?
Adapted from
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19. Ostriches
Meat
Oil, feathers, leather
Large capital outlay
for upstart
Markets?
Nutrition research:
Dr. Roselina Angel
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20. The Poultry Industry
Vertically integrated
Egg producers
(breeders)
Broiler producers
(breeders)
Perdue Farms, MD
Holly Farms
Breeds of less
importance
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21. Chicken Tidbits
Hatch time: ~21 days
Precocious young
Hens begin to lay ~18 weeks of age
Broilers reach harvest weight 4-6
weeks*
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23. Industry Highlights of 20 years
Check-off programs to promote
products?
Inexpensive meat: chicken
Poultry production vertically integrated
Competition to improve efficiency
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24. Next Time . . .
Delving deeper into the livestock
industry
Sheep
Hogs
Horses
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Hinweis der Redaktion
For this class, poultry included. USDA typically separates poultry out. Horses questionable as to where they fit. Are they agriculture? Other species? Bison, ostriches, emus, etc.
Do dairy and beef cattle belong to the same genus and species? Yes.
Why emphasize milking ability of cows for beef? Milking ability of cow affects weaning weight of calf How do we measure fertility? Calf crop, age at puberty, generation interval, etc. Are there concerns about selecting for traits such as polledness or color pattern? Other traits can be “concentrated” if they are linked. Example: dwarfism in Polled Hereford cattle.
Cow-Calf: 16 states have 75% of brood cow numbers in US Commercial producers: crossbreds to maximize heterosis for beef production Purebreds to provide genetics to enable production of a superior product. Known “gene carriers” among purebred bulls
Cheap feed source Renewable resource? Add “cheap” gain to cattle
Finished: of sufficient fat content to produce tender, juicy, flavorful meat. Feeding endpoint. Retained ownership: cow-calf producer hires contract feeder to feed cattle to slaughter weight, then sells fed cattle to packers. Contract feeding in areas where LOTS of grain (Midwest—TX, KS, etc.)
Puberty correlated w/breed. Larger breeds, later maturity Age at weaning affected by available feed resources, cow health, etc. Want heifers to calve first time as 2-year-olds.
Horizontal integration: pass products from one company to another to produce final product. More than one entity controls inputs from conception to consumption. NCBA: Umbrella organization for state producer groups. Voice for beef producers in Washington, provides consumers info, etc. Beef check-off: per-head assessment to promote beef, do research, and to educate the public about beef
Carousel milker unit. Note cleanliness of area. Also, note height of milkers to height of worker.
Milk check-off funds: Milk Jug 1% milk as part of McDonald’s Happy Meals. Got Milk? ad campaign Cal Ripken, Daisy Fuentes, Williams (tennis star) sisters, etc.
Milk grades “control” what milk used for. Grade A fluid milk (consumption). Grade B processing to other products.
Fancy birds for show VERY minimal part of poultry industry. Birds have the best feed:gain ratio of any animal we deal with. LT 2:1 feed:gain.
2005: approximately 100,000 ostriches processed
Chicken, major part of remarks Broiler producers originally byproduct of egg production. “Cull” egg layers. Seedstock producers within each category of production. “Company” breeds
Precocious young: no maternal rearing required Hatcheries: temp and humidity controlled environment Broilers harvest weight: ~5 lbs. Harvest age VERY genetics dependent!