AVS 101 1st Edition Lecture 16 Beef Cattle & Swine ManagementBeef Cattle Most production in South, Southwest & Western US Consists of English, exotic & dairy breeds 26 billion lbs. à 100 lbs./person/year Meat FlavorRelated to amount of fat in meat TendernessLocation (cut) on animal JuicinessRelated to amount of fat in meat Fat Finish à fat around cut Marbling à inside fat English breeds Great deal of finish & marbling Exotic breeds Big beef animal Leaner carcass Dairy breeds Lean carcass “No best breed”Selection based on need Selection of breeding stock Weight distributed evenly51% front, 49% rear70% of valuable cuts are in rear end Good overall musclingStretchy – exotic breedsBlocky – English breeds Selection of breeding stock Performance testingHeritability index Free from genetic defectsDwarfismSyndactylyHooves are solid instead of cloven Production Scheme Total production schemeBorn, raised, finished on same ranch Management Not as labor intensive (compared to dairy) Goal: 1 ½ lbs of weight gain per day Dehorning Male & female have hornsHorn button removed Human & animal safetyElectric or caustic paste Management CastrationMales always castrated (steer) ID animalsEar tagTattoo earBrandingFire brand – burns hairFreeze brand (except on white hair)Hair grows back whitePainful, freezing more painful Herd Health Zoonose – disease animals & people can get from each otherTB, rabies Beef Cattle Diseases (also affect dairy cattle) TB – tuberculosisUS has intense eradication programHerds required to be TB testedTreatment – destroy animal Beef Cattle Diseases BrucellosisCaused by bacteriaCauses abortionUndulant fever in humansCan’t transport cattle unless Brucellosis test freeTreatment – destroy animal Beef Cattle Diseases Pink eye (Conjunctivitis)ContagiousTreated with antibiotics Beef Cattle Diseases Internal parasitesAll livestock are affected by internal parasitesTapeworms, round worms, liver flukes, lungworms, etc.Dewormers Beef Cattle Diseases ScoursTreat with antibioticsUp to 20% fatalityDifficult to controlSanitation Beef Cattle Diseases Shipping FeverStress relatedChange in environment & managementAcute respiratory disease Beef Cattle Diseases Stress – animal’s ability to combat disease is decreased when stressed Swine Most US swine population is in Corn Belt – Iowa, Illinois, Indiana Food is #1 cost in animal production 860 million in world, 55 million in US Trends Years ago, consumer desired fatty porkLard type – typical porky pigHams weigh 25 lbs Today – lean, bacon-type hogMarket at 225 lbs Swine Most breeds of swine were developed in US Recently, Asiatic breeds imported Swine Management Operations Farrow to Finish Management Problems Farrowing – act of birthBaby pig mortality is high10% loss even in good facilities Most difficult livestock to raise Need heated & cooled facilities Farrowing Gestation is 114 days Farrowing crateAllows piglets to nurse without being crushed Swine Diseases LeptospirosisBacteria affects domestic animalsCats, dogs, cattle, sheep, swine, horsesEnters body through mucosal surfaceConjunctive, oral, anal, vaginal, nasalZoonose-contact with infected animal ID Ear tag Tattoo Ear notch Baby Pigs Castrated Vaccinated Clip needle teeth Iron injectionsSow’s milk is low in ironIron dextron shots prevent anemia Breeding Boars don’t have great sex drive Flush