Introduction to Agriculture
Unit #3, part 1: Livestock Systems/Animal Agriculture
Assignment #1 Breeds of Beef Cattle
Students will watch the Power-point: Breeds of Cattle in class. Students then
should be able to identify most common breeds by site. There will be a quiz on beef
breeds by sight.
Essential Questions
1. Describe the main 3 characteristics of the following beef cattle breeds:
a. Angus
b. Herford
c. Charolais
d. Shorthorn
e. Limosine
2. What is the most common pure breed of cattle in Kansas today?
3. However most cattle can be described in terms of breed as?
4. What characteristics are ranchers looking for in determining what breed of cattle
is raised on their ranch?
5. What characteristics are consumers looking for in the beef that they purchase?
6. Why then are most cattle on ranches a crossbred?
7. What are the similarities and differences between a crossbred commercial cattle
operation and a purebred breeding cattle operation?
8. Why is bull selection for a cowherd important?
9. What are EPD’s? (Expected Progeny Differences) Watch the following short
video to help answer the question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK5vy9k5SMs
Assignment #2: Cattle Operations
Students should watch the following and similar short videos about cow calf
production techniques, costs, feeding etc. then answer the following questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJp9l0i9I28 cow calf boot camp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htKG6kB75ms cost of production
Define the following:
1. Cow
2. Calf
3. Heifer
4. Bull
5. Steer
Essential Questions:
1. Define a cow calf operation. If someone asks you about your operation and you
say I am a cow/calf producer, what does that mean?
2. What does a cow/calf producer do? Management, cattle care, health needs
feeding needs, baby calves, raising calves, managing forage needs, marketing?
3. What is cow body conditioning? Why is this important?
4. What does it mean to cull cows? What is a cull cow?
5. Why are bulls important? Why should the producer study and understand EPD’s
(Expected Progeny Differences)
6. When choosing a cow/cows for the herd what should we look for?
7. What do we feed cows? Summer? Winter?
8. What are the nutritional needs of a cow? What parts of the year? Why?
9. Look at the gestation table included in your assignment sheet. If the bull is
turned out on June 1, what day is the cow expected to calf? How many days does a
cow need for gestation?
10. What are the nutritional needs of a baby calf?
11. How old should a calf be when it is weaned? How many pounds should it
weigh?
12. What are reasons to wean a calf early at a smaller weight?
13. What are reasons to keep the calf on the cow longer and wean later?
Assignment #2, Stockers and Feeders, Backgrounding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuhYLIvrSZQ Stocker cattle
1. What is a stocker calf?
2. What nutritional needs does a stocker have?
3. When we think of stockers we more likely think of them growing in what kind of
setting?
4. What is a feeder?
5. What nutritional needs does a feeder have?
6. When we think of feeders we more likely think of them growing in what kind of
setting?
7. What is backgrounding and how does it related to stockers and feeders?
Assignment #3: Finishing fat cattle
http://www.beeftalk.co.za/cuts.html
1. What are the two main ways to finish cattle and ready them for slaughter?
2. Describe pasture finishing? What are the positives and also the negatives of this
style of cattle operation? Google videos for your answer. (5 points)
3. Describe a feedlot. What are the positives and negatives of this kind of
operation? Google Popular feedlot and beef cattle videos – You-tube (5 Points)
c. Nutrition
1. Hay systems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbhQsxwbXCY preserving hay
2. Pasture systems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyL8qrVp7jg rotational grazing
3. Feed systems
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xZJ9nOa7WEIKRJ1EmisCleuOW7BNQb
E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0LOtm7VCd8&list=PL2xZJ9nOa7WEIKRJ1E
misCleuOW7BNQbE&index=16
1. What species of hay are good for cattle. What can be baled for hay? What do
cattle need at different times of the year?
2. What is traditional grazing practice?
3. What is stocking rate? Why is this so important?
4. Describe rotational grazing.
5. Describe mob grazing.
6. Why do you feed cows differently that you feed steers being readied for
slaughter?
Assignment #4: Beef to the Table
We will look at different cuts of meat and uses of bovine beef . There will be a quiz
on major beef cuts. Study the chart provided in your assignment pack.
http://www.grundhofers.com/BeefCutsChart.pdf
Yield grading beef http://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading/
Assignment #5 Dairy Cattle Breeds
http://www.acffa.org/classes/AgSciI/Dairy/Dairy%20Breeds.htm
1. What is the most common breed of Dairy cattle in the U.S.?
2. What do we harvest from Dairy cattle?
3. List 5 products that are made from the produce of Dairy cattle. (5 Points)
b. Operations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaGp8Ru_n1M
4. How often do we milk a cow?
5. What do you find in a modern dairy?
6. Describe the jobs that make up a modern dairy operation.
7. What happens to the milk after it leaves the dairy? Do a little research. How does
the milk, cheese and other dairy products get from the cow to your dinner table?