Questions related to (3.2.1) Tour of Beef Farm at OSU
Note: Remember that a “cow” is a female who has given birth at least once.
All of the following questions refer to how beef calves are raised on the OSU beef farm,
which closely resembles most for-profit beef farms.
Calves are born …
a) In a pasture
b) In a farrowing-crate
c) In a barn
d) In a veterinary hospital
On the first day a calf is born …
a) Their navel is coated with iodine
b) They are given a shot of iodine
c) An ear tag is placed in their ear
d) Their tail is docked
e) a and b
f) a, b, and c
g) a and c
h) a, b, c, and d
What do mother cows do when the farmer catches her calf on the day it is born?
a) Charges the farmer
b) Watches with concern, but does not charge
c) Ignores both the farmer and her calf
d) Lashes out in anger by attacking other cows
[True or False?] On the first day of its life, male beef calves might be castrated and receive a
synthetic growth hormone implant.
[True or False?] All beef farmers give their calves implants of synthetic growth hormones.
[True or False?] All beef farmers give their calves implants of synthetic growth hormones.
[True or False?] For the first eight months of calves’ lives, they live in pastures, largely
untouched by humans.
How are male calves castrated?
a) By adding a chemical to its feed which causes the testes to shrivel and eventually die
b) By cutting open the scrotum sack and manually pulling its testicles out of the body
c) By placing a tight band between the testes and the calves’ belly
d) By crushing chord above its testes
e) a, b, and c
f) b, c, and d
g) a, b, c, and d
[True or False?] All beef cattle grow horns, which are usually removed by the farmer when
the calves are young.
What are some of the ways that calves’ horns are removed?
a) Applying a chemical paste to the horn-buds
b) Burning the horn-buds with a hot iron
c) “Scooping” the horn buds out of the calves’ heads
d) a and c
e) a, b, and c
[True or False?] When calves are castrated and/or dehorned, they are always given an
anesthetic.
[True or False?] With an anesthetic, it is possible to dehorn cattle such that the calves feel
little to no pain.
[True or False?] If you are born in late winter, you will notice that there are many calves of a
different age. This is because farmers want calves to be born in each month of the year,
helping to make sure beef is available for consumption at all times of the year.
[True or False?] All farmers use CIDR implants to make their cattle come into estrus / heat
at a specific time.
[True or False?] When a cow comes into estrus / heat, other cows—even though they are
females—will attempt to mount her, as if they are going to mate with her.
[True or False?] Some farmers inject a cow with testosterone to make them behave as if they
are bulls, using them to detect cows that are in estrus / heat.
[True or False?] Some farmers inject all their cows with testosterone, to make it easier to
determine which cows are in estrus / heat.
Why are many calves born in late winter, when there is little green grass to eat?
a) There are fewer predators, like coyotes, in winter
b) Calves are born with a thick coat of hair, which would cause them to overheat if
born in the summer
c) Because most green grass is poisonous to newly born calves
d) So that there is plentiful grass when the calves are growing their fastest and
their mothers need to produce the most milk
[True or False?] The mineral needs of cattle are met by giving the cows and their offspring
injections of minerals in early summer.
Why do some farmers have their cows give birth in early fall, even though they are more
costly to raise?
a) These calves can be sold at a higher price
b) These calves result in less pollution from manure runoff
c) These calves require less forage, and thus represent a more sustainable form of
agriculture
d) These calves provide higher quality meat
Calves are weaned
a) At about one year of age, when they are 400 lbs
b) At about one year of age, when they are about 500 lbs
c) At about seven months of age, when they are about 400 lbs
d) At about seven months of age, when they are about 500 lbs
e) At about three months of age, when they are about 300 lbs
f) At about three months of age, when they are about 400 lbs
[True or False?] Weaning is stressful for the calf and can compromise their immune system.
To protect the calves’ health, farmers may give them antibiotics.
Female cattle, before they give birth for the first time, are referred to as
a) Gilts
b) Cows
c) Barrows
d) Steers
e) Heifers
f) Cull-cows
Female cattle are bred for the first time at about
a) 8 months of age
b) One year of age
c) 13 months of age
d) 15 months of age
e) two years of age
What technology do some farmers use to determine if female cattle have conceived?
a) Specific measurements of the animal’s waist-size, relative to its height
b) MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines
c) Ultrasound
d) Chemical composition of the animal’s breath, as determine by a “machine nose”
e) The length of the animal’s tail
When the calf leaves the cow-calf stage and enters the stocker-calf stage, if it is administered
a synthetic growth hormone, how is the hormone delivered?
a) Injection
b) Enema
c) Pellet under the skin in the ear
d) Added to a legume cattle feed, like alfalfa
e) Patch placed underneath the calf, on a shaved portion of its belly
[True or False?] Branding with a hot iron is a thing of the past. Farms today do not use
them.
[True or False?] Stocker-calves are often grazed on young wheat plants. However, if grazed,
the wheat cannot be harvested for human consumption.
[True or False?] Calves typically reach the feedlot stage of production at one year of age or
older.
[True or False?] When cattle reach the feedlot stage they no longer graze in pasture or
consume hay, but eat only whole kernels of corn.
[True or False?] Cattle in feedlot are provided about ten times the space provided to hogs in
confinement systems.
[True or False?] Of all the space given to cattle in feedlots, some are unavailable during rainy
weather.
[True or False?] One reason feedlots are located in south-central U.S. is because the arid
environment is favorable to cattle health.
[True or False?] One should never enter a feedlot pen with the cattle. They will get angry
and attack, or will run away in panic.
[True or False?] Two drawbacks of the feedlot system is boredom for the cattle and few
comfortable resting places.
[True or False?] Most cattle would rather eat grass than the feedlot ration.
[Multiple choice, multiple selection] The feedlot ration may consist of many ingredients,
including (select all that apply)
a) Green grass
b) Corn
c) Soybean meal
d) Legumes
e) Hay
f) Acorns
g) Genova
[True or False?] The longer cattle remain in a feedlot, the less hay and more grain they will
be fed.
[True or False?] The best way to prevent bloating and other health problems arising from a
high-grain feed ration is to switch cattle from hay to grain suddenly.
[True or False?] In a feedlot, the mortality rate due to bloating is less than 1%.
[True or False?] Antibiotics are often added to the ration of feedlot cattle, partly to prevent
liver problems resulting from a high-grain diet.
[True or False?] Antibiotics are often added to cattle feed from the day they arrive at the
feedlot up till the day before they are sold for slaughter.
[True or False?] Cattle are typically slaughtered around 24 months of age and weigh 2,300
lbs.