Mason Wintters

Management of one production

beef cycle
2nd Presentation - Conventional
April 20th, 2016
Student Copy

References:
Carpenter,Z.L.(1997).Texasbeefcattlemanagement
handbook.CollegeStation,TX:TexasAgricultural
ExtensionService.
Newham,L.(1994).Beefcattle:Breeding,feeding,and
showing.Chatswood,Australia:InkataPress.
Thomas,H.S.(2005).Gettingstartedwithbeef&dairy
cattle.NorthAdams,MA:StoreyPublishing.

BeefProductionCalendar.(n.d.).RetrievedApril25,2016,
fromhttp://beef.unl.edu/beefprodcal.shtml
InterviewswithMarkWintters,Tyler,Texas.

Management of one production

beef cycle
Why should I raise cattle?
There are many different reasons why someone should or would want
to raise cattle. Weather it be on a small family run operation or a
production level size, there are many benefits. Cattle are hardy
creatures that have been around for a long time. They can convert
undesirable plant material into pounds of good nutritional meat and by
products that we use every single day.
Meat
Milk (Dairy Cattle)
Medicines
Leather

.
Fertilizer
This list goes on!

Types of Operation:
There are several types of operations in a cycle of beef production. The
main three go in the following:

Cow/calf The beginning stage, to keep and produce a breeding

heard of cattle.
o Pure Bred To raise one registered breed with records.
o Commercial Mostly unregistered with several breeds.

In between stage where calves are grown

on some feed regime or pasture time to increase weight and to
build up immunity to disease before moving to the feedlot.

Feedlot where the animal is finished. Calves are fed

specialized feed rations consisting of high amounts of proteins in
grains. Once the desired age and weight level is reached, the calf
is then sent to be processed.

What breed should I raise?

A lot of the time this is up to the owners preference and price range,
and depends on the qualities you are wanting. General guidelines are
to:

Keep genes and types of cattle as close as possible.

Or to keep straight bloodlines and breeds.
You also need to take local conditions into consideration.
All of the breeds have their pros and cons. Youll need to
find the breed that is best suited for the situation you have.
Texas cattle typically need heat tolerance and disease
resistant qualities.

Some common breeds in Texas include:

Angus
Brangus
Hereford
Beefmaster
Charolais

Where to buy cattle?

Where you buy can be a major influence on how your heard will do.
There are several places to do so, such as:

Direct from a breeder one of the more reliable places if you

are looking for a direct bloodline or breed.
Property auctions when available and occurring.
some say not the most reliable, but still
an option.
Personal Relations Friends, family or known sellers.

Facilities:
Because cattle are such large animals the facilities needed are going to
be considerably larger than what other animals need.

Pens/Corrals Though cattle will need to be on pasture and

pen is going to be needed at certain times during the year.
o Holding pens Depending on space available, should be
large enough to hold the herd comfortably. Smaller pens
should be connected for sorting, culling and weaning.
o Alleys Can be very useful for extra room and herding
ease in the pens. Usually set up to go into a catch pen.
o Catch Pen and Chute Small pen and chute used for
giving the animals medical attention, vaccinations, along
with tagging and other record keeping purposes.
o For owners and hands working pens, safety is KEY. Cattle
are large, powerful animals especially when scared and in
close quarters.

Pastures Although cattle can survive on many types of

forages, adequate grass and forage cover is needed. Depending
on what forages and the abundance of them will decide how
many head can successfully live off the acreage of a field or
paddock. Along with forages, fences are a must in todays age
now that free roaming in rare and continued urban development
are prominent in most areas.
o Wire fences Usually barbed and most common in Texas.
4 and 5 strand fences are preferred. Enough to keep calves
from getting in between the strands.
o

sometimes preferred because no calf can

crawl through. Usually a strand or two of barb wire will be
run on top to keep cows from pushing downward on the
fence.

o Electric fences Can be used alone though most often

paired with the wire mentioned above. More along the lines
of a psychological deterrent than a physical fence.

Keep in mind electric fences take a lot of equipment

such as batteries, plug in sources, insulators and
things of that nature. Along with equipment,
maintenance and keeping the lines clean are a must.

Shelter For pasture caves not much shelter is needed though

if calves are going to be raised in a pen some sort of lean too or
windbreak is preferred.

Feeding
Before getting into feeding it is important to understand that cattle
have a ruminant digestive system.
Named ruminant for the process of rumination -Able to acquire
nutrients from plant matter by fermenting the material then
regurgitating, re-chewing and re-swallowing to continue digestion.
Typically multi compartmented stomachs.
Cattle must have 2% of there body weight in feed to maintain and 3%
to be able to produce, weather it be meat or milk.
That being
o
o
o
o

said cattle need four main nutrients:

Protein
Minerals
Vitamins

Protein

Complex nitrogen compounds made up of amino acids, essential

for health, growth and appetite of an animal. Assists in the
microbial growth and the fermentation of energy nutriments.

Energy

Needed for the animals maintenance. Keeps the animals organs

functioning and keeping up its live weight. Keeps up body
temperature and muscular functions.

Minerals & Vitamins

Essential in keeping the animal healthy and productive. Just like

humans. If you feel like your fields arent given your cattle
enough, salt and mineral licks are always an option.

Roughage
Required for the satisfactory functioning and maintenance of the
digestive system. Keeps healthy microbial levels required for digestion
in ruminants.

Cattle will normally gain a balanced amount of each need on

roughage alone, though when pasture yield and nutrition are
depleted, hay or silage may be needed.
o Feeding Hay - When feeding hay it is important to keep the
hay as clean as possible and with as little waste as
possible. Feed racks, hay rings are highly encouraged.
o Most often used in feed gaps such as in the winter season
and in droughts when grass isnt as readily available.
o The type of hay or silage to feed often depends on cost,
availability, and location of where your herd is located.

Grain
If youre looking for a little bit of extra production in your herd, feeding
grains is always an option. Or in a feedlot setting, grain rations will be
a main source of said needs. Some typical grains include:

o
o
o
o
o

Wheat
Oats
Barley
Corn
Sorghum

These can be made into whole rations or mixed with roughages

depending on what out come you are looking for. Example would be
feed lots feeding more grains for finishing as opposed to cow/calf
operation feeding mostly roughage. Grains need to be placed in tubs
or some sort of feeder to prevent waste.

Water
Cattle need a continual source of fresh water. Like most living things
water is essential for bodily functions and survival.

Water constitutes 60 to 70 percent of the body in livestock.

Animals should be given as much water as the animal wants.

Amounts needed are based on the animals age, size and what
time of the year it is. Cattle will obviously drink more on hot days
than cold. On average dry cows require around 10 gallons a day,
where as a cow in the last 3 months of pregnancy may need up
to 15 gallons and even higher when nursing. A 1000LB steer
may drink up over 20 gallons a day.

A good rule of thumb is about

-

Typical watering methods:

o Ponds and Lakes
o Continual fed tubs
o Water tanks
o Stock tanks

Breeding and Calving:

The cattle gestation period is averaged at 283 days, meaning that
production cows will have calves once a year. Due to that, cashing
out calves is usually a once a year system, unless you have cows on
two different breeding times.
When to breed:

Ideal breeding age for heifers is between 14 and 16 months of

age or 650 to 850 pounds.

Estrous for un-bred cows cycle every 21 days and usually last
around 15 to 24 hours.

When cows start showing signs of heat or estrous. Typically a

cow can become restless and wander fence lines. Others may
show signs of a full or swollen vulva and some it can be very
hard to tell.

Types of Breeding systems

where the bull and cows are placed

together in a pasture or paddock and breeds the cows.
Conception rates are usually around
in the herd.
o Some may only have a bull with the cows at certain times
of the year to ensure a consistent calving season. Such as
bringing in a bull in June to have March calves. In certain
cases some may leave a bull in year round.
o On average, 1 bull is said to service 30 to 50 cows.

Artificial Insemination artificial breeding in where previously

collected semen from a selected sire is manually inserted into a
cow. More common in dairy cattle.
o This system is used to promote better genetics within the
herd. Though conception rates are much lower due to
missing estrous cycles and things of that nature.

Embryo Transfer where an egg from one cow is fertilized and

put into another for gestation. Like A.I, it provides the chance for
superior genes but is very costly and high in labor.

Calving and Weaning

Getting close to the time in which your cows are due start really
watching and getting ready.

If no birthing complications have occurred and you are at the

birth help clean the nose and make sure the calf is breathing.

The first bit of milk the calf gets is the most important due to the
colostrum in the milk. Very beneficial with its antibodies and high
calorie content.

should be done at birth and a vet may prescribe

a vaccination depending on your region.

The calves should typically be weaned at around 7 to 8 months

old and at this time the cow should be bred again.

Castration & Dehorning

All bull calves should be castrated unless designated for future

breeding.

When castrating calves, the sooner the better. The bigger the
calf gets the harder castration is on him. Typically between 1 to
3 months of age and usually about the time of there first set of
vaccinations.

Several ways of castrating;

o Surgical
o
o Burdizzo clamps

Some breeds are naturally polled so no dehorning is needed though if

you have a breed that arent polled, dehorning is typically preferred.

Like castration, dehorning should take place the sooner, the

better. Several different ways to do it:
o Obstetrical Wire
o Dehorners
o Hot Irons

Health
So first off it is important to understand a little bit about cattles vital
signs in order to better recognize and act on a problem. If you dont
know what to look for a lot of times the damage has already been
done. Like all animals health, prevention is the key.

Vital Signs
o Temperature
Young calf 101. 3 - 102.1 Degrees F
Yearling
- 101.3 102.1 Degrees F
Adult
- 99.5 - 103.1 Degrees F
o Pulse - *Beats Per Minute*
Newborn 116 141 BPM

One Month 105 BPM

Yearling 91 BPM
Adult 40 to 60 BPM

o Respiration - *Breaths Per Minute*

Newborn 56 BPM
Six Months 30 BPM
Yearling 27 BPM
Adults 12 to 16 BPM
Understanding changes in vital signs is important because certain
illnesses can cause a change in these numbers. The sooner you can
catch it the more likely that cow or calf will be all right.

How to give medications:

When it comes to given medication there are three main methods used
for cattle.

Internally/Orally common method used, though may not be

the most effective. Normally in a liquid mix given by drench or
stomach tube, or in a powder form poured over feed.

Externally This includes your powders, ointments, and

anything applied to the skin. Can be by dipping, spraying and
typical pour on applications. Most of your fly sprays and
Anthelmintics fall into this category like Cydectin and others.

o Subcutaneous substance is injected under the skin at a

site where the skin is loose.
o Intramuscular injected directly into the muscle, fast
absorbing.
o Intravenous injected directly into the bloodstream with a
immediate effects

Its always important to pay attention to withdrawal periods and dosing

amounts. Reading all of the labels on each medicine is highly advised.

Cattle like anything else can get sick so it is important to know what
illness or complication the cows have in order to better heal them.

Pneumonia/ Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex

(BRDC)
o Infection of the lungs by bacteria and virus. Young calves
and old cows are the most susceptible to this disease. The
bacteria and virus lurk in the environment and cause an
infection in weak immune systems. Stress and cold
weather on cattle can be a major factor in contracting this
illness.
o Symptoms include:
Loss of appetite
Hunched over look from sore chests
Fast respiration, possible coughing and wheezing
Cough and runny nose.
o Prevention/Treatment
Confine animal and check temp, higher than 103F is
a sign.
Round of antibiotics is needed.
Confine the animal in a warm dry place.

Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)

o Caused by a Herpes virus that can produce respiratory
disease, abortion and eye problems. One of the most
common infections.
o Symptoms:
High fever 104 to 107F
Inflamed nose and nostrils with discharge. Red
nose.
Difficulty breathing
o Prevention/Treatment
Mainly prevented by vaccination once or twice a
year.
Best in live virus form but can cause abortion.
Calves should be vaccinated at 6 months old.
No effective treatment but prevention.

 Scours
o Called scours or diarrhea, major problem in cattle.
o Many

causes can be attributed to scours:

Sudden changes in feed or rations
Too much grain
Old or rotten feed stuffs
Poisonous weeds
Parasites and infections
Mild Scours in calves.

o Treatment depends on the exact cause but for all plenty of

hydration is needed for the effected animals

Bloat
o Development of gas in the animals digestion system.
Caused when gas cannot escape the animal, the build up
of pressure and absorption of toxic substances can begin to
harm the animal
o Four main types of Bloat:
Frothy Bloat caused by eating certain legumes and
green crops.
Feedlot Bloat mainly affects cattle on concentrates
and grain rations.
Obstruction caused by solid food or foreign material
preventing gas release.
Enterotoxaemia bloat caused by lack of eating.
o Symptoms:
Puffed out look especially to left side (Rumen side)
Animal may stand with front legs up hill, helps gas
relief
In late stages animal can suffocate.
o Prevention/Treatment
Avoid overfeeding bloat prone feeds
Excessive grain and fine chopped stuffs
In lush places Bloat Guard my be recommended
If serious enough, puncture with a trocar and canula
in the animals side to release gas.

Light handling when in bloat conditions.

Internal Parasites
o Generally worms, grubs and liver flukes. Usually
controllable with certain practices.
o Symptoms:
Loss of weight gain
Dull coat
Poor appetite
Scours
o Prevention/Treatment
Usually doable through prevention scheduled doses.
Some do twice a year while some may go on a egg
cycle bases
Rotating and keeping fields clean are a main factor.

Foot Rot
o

by bacteria in the soil. Usually infected

through broken or week skin in the feet.

o Symptoms:
Swelling
Heat and Pain
Lameness
o Prevention/Treatment
Mainly keeping cattle out of boggy areas.
Treatment should be immediate and infected animal
should be isolated from the herd.
General antibiotics if needed.

Pink eye
o Mainly a summer problem with the spread of flies around
the face. Dust and other irritants can attribute to infection.
o Symptoms:

Very light sensitive

Can cause vision damage.

infected eye

o Prevention/Treatment
Antibiotic injections
Topical antibiotics
Controlling flies is a main factor

Vaccinations
Some vaccines you will want to give once or twice a year depending on
your local conditions and things of that nature. Generally most
vaccines for cattle are vaccines for enterotoxaemia, 5 or 7 way
vaccines for prevention of many diseases in one.
Generally for Blackleg, Clostridium C&D, and Tetanus. Then in certain
cases you can vaccinate for prevention of IBR and respiratory diseases.

Covexin 8
Ultra Choice 8
Bovi-Shield Gold 5

Where to sell
So now that all your hard work and care have gone into to your herd,
its time to earn some reward. There are several places where you can
sell your calves too.
Some are like what we covered before with buying. For most cattle
raisers this is the payday.

Cattle Auctions
Sale Barns
Feedlots
Individual buyers

Review
What are the four main nutrients cattle need?
How many gallons of water do cattle need a day per 100 pounds?
What are the three ways to administer medication?