Beef Unit
11-12th Grade
Learning Targets
1.
2.
I can identify various breeds of beef
cattle.
I can identify proper terminology
for beef cattle.
Beef Cattle Facts
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80% of Cow herds have less than 50
head of cattle.
8 Beef Cattle Regions in the U.S.
Japan is the largest importer of U.S.
Beef.
More than 50 Beef Breeds to choose
from.
10% of all calves die at birth or soon
after
Beef Cattle History

Christopher
Columbus
brought cattle in
1493.
Beef Cattle History
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Spanish brought
Longhorn to
Mexico in 1521.
Beef Cattle History
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English brought
large numbers of
cattle in 1553
when Jamestown
Colony was
founded.
Bos Indicus Cattle Example
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Long Floppy Ears
Hump on the
shoulders.
Loose Hide
Heat tolerant
Resistance to
diseases and
Insects
Bos Indicus Cattle
Bos Indicus Cattle
Bos Indicus Cattle
Bos Indicus Cattle
Bos Taurus Cattle Example
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Tight hide
Short ears
Bos Taurus Cattle
Bos Taurus Cattle
Bos Taurus Cattle
Bos Taurus Cattle
Angus
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Imported in 1873
Scotland
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Moderate frame
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Color: Black
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Polled
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Simmental
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Imported 1969
Switzerland
Color: Red and
White-Black
Polled or Horned
Shorthorn
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Imported 1783
England
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Color: Red/White
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Polled or Horned
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Dual Purpose
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Beefmaster
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Originated: 1931
Hereford 25%
Shorthorn 25%
Brahman 50%
Color:
Red/Yellowishwhite
Very Hardy and
milk well
Charolais
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Origin: France
Imported: 1930
Color:
White/Creamy
Rugged
Polled and Horned
Chianina
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Imported: 1971
Origin: Italy
Color: White
Horned
Cow: 1500-2000lb
Bull: 1800-4000lb
Used for
crossbreeding
Limousine
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Origin: France
Color: Red,
Black
Imported: 1969
Polled or Horned
Good Milking
ABility
Belted Galloway
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Imported:
Scotland
Imported: 1950
White belt around
stomach
Good mothers
Grow Rapidly
Texas Longhorn
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Origin: Texas
1st Breed in
United States
Very Adaptable
Very cheap to
raise
Price goes by
Horn Length.
Polled Hereford
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Origin: England
Imported:1817
Henry Clay:Ky.
Cow: 1200lbs
Bull:15002000lbs
Good mother,
milk, forager
Horned Hereford
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Original: Horned
Began: 18th
Century
Origin;
Herefordshire
England
Black Hereford
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Origin: U.S.A
Angus
Hereford
Feed Efficiency
Milking ability
Docile
Brahman
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Imported: 1900
United States
Color: White to
Gray
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Horned
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Good mothers
Braford
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Origin:Florida
Began: 1947
3/8 Brahman
5/8 Hereford
Early Puberty
Fertile Cow/Bull
Calving Ease
Brahmousin
Origin: United
States
5/8 Limousin
3/8 Brahman
Polled Horned
Cow 1500lb
Bull 2200lb
Brangus
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Origin: United
States
Developed: 1949
3/8 Brahman
5/8 Angus
Heat Resistant
Color: Red/Black
Simbrah
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Origin: America
Color: Varies
Polled or Horned
Cow: 1500lbs
Bulls: 2200lbs
Fast growers
Long life span
Gelbray
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Origin: America
Color: Varies
Cow: 1500lbs
Bull: 2200lbs
Polled or Horned
Good
reproduction,
rapid growth
Watsui
Origin:Africa
 Cow:900-1200lb
 Bulls:10001600lb
 Imported:1960
 Slow in growth
Mostly for Private
use.
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Belgian Blue
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Origin: Belgium
New to U.S.A.
Heavy muscling
2 Groups
1. Milk Prod.
2. Beef Prod.
Cow: 1500lbs
Bull: 2500lbs
Gelbvieh
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Origin: Germany
Imported: 1971
Color: Red
Horned or Polled
Good Fertility
Cow:1500lbs
Bulls: 2000lbs
Red Angus
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Origin: Europe
Imported: 1954
Cow:1000-1300
Bull:1500-2000
Good: Mothers,
Crossbreeding,
Calving Ease
lb
lb
Highland
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Origin: Scotland
Color: Yellow,
Red, SilverWhite
Cow:800-1100lb
Bull:900-1200lb
Very rugged
Imported: 1930
Piedmontese
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Origin: Italy
Imported: 1979
Double Muscled
Rich milk
Color: White
Cow: 12001800
Bull:1800-2800
lb
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lb
Maine Anjou
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Origin: France
Imported: 1969
Cow:1500-1900lb
Bull:2200-3100lb
Good: Milk,
Mature fast
Color: Red,
Black, Mix Color
Romagnola
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Origin: Italy
Color: White
Horned
Cow: 1650lbs
Bulls:2750lbs
Good feed
conversion
Imported: 1970
Santa Gertrudis
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Origin: America
Color: Red/Black
3/8 Brahman
5/8 Shorthorn
Good mother,
fast growers,
Polled or horned
Beefalo
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Origin: America
Color: Varies
3/8 Bison
5/8 Beef Cow
Good milking,
mothers, rapid
growth
Gyr
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Origin: India
Color: Varies
Cow: 1200lbs
Bull: 2000lbs
Used for: Dairy
and Beef
Ancestor of
Brahman
Zebu
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Origin: India
Imported: 1849
Cow: 1200lbs
Bull: 1800lbs
Used for: Beef
and Dairy
Wagyu
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Origin: Japan
Produce: Kobe
Beef
Imported:1976
Horned or Polled
Color: Black or
Red
Best Beef???
Corriente
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Origin: Spanish
Imported: 1493
Small size
Grow slow
Horned
Used for Rodeos
Used: Milk, Beef,
Sport
Braunvieh
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Origin: Switzerland
Imported: 18691880
Color: Brown
Bull: 2100-2500lb
Cow: 1200-1500lb
Used for: Milk,
Meat
Horned
Dexter
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Origin: Ireland
Imported: 19051915
Bull: 1000Lb
Cow: 750Lb
Used: Milk, Meat
Color: Black and
Red
Fighting Bull
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Origin: Spain
Imported: ?
Color: Black or
Dark Brown
Bull: 13001600lb
Used for:
Fighting
Tuli
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Origin: Zimbabwe
Imported: None
Polled
Color: Red, Yellow,
White
Medium Size
Good Milking ability,
Good Mothers
Tarentaise
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Origin: France
Color: Dark Red
Imported: 1972
Bull: 1800lb
Cow:1200lb
Good: Mothers,
Milking
Randall
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Origin: Vermont
Cow: 600-1100lbs
Bull: 1000-1800lbs
Horned
Color: White base
and Lineback
Traits: Docile, Few
calving problems,
survival instincts
Florida Cracker
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Origin: Florida
Descended from
Spanish stock.
Cow: 900lbs
Bull: 900-1000lbs
Known for: Hardy
traits, Resistance to
parasites
Horned
Miniature Cattle
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Very Popular
Color: Varies
Height: 36”-46”
Used for: Draft,
Milk, Pets, Meat
26 Breeds
Composite Breeds
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Cattle of 2 or
more breeds
that have been
crossed to
create a better
animal.
Barzona
Beefmaster
Braford
Brangus
Santa Gertrudis
Chimaine
Bos Tarus
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Broken into 2
Categories.
British
Contential
Continental Cattle
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Also called
Exotics.
Grow very fast
and gain weight.
Originated in
Europe
Charolais
Chianina
Limousine
Gelbvieh
Maine-Anjou
Salers
Simmental
Tarentaise
British Breeds
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Known as
English Breeds.
Known as the
foundation
breeds in the
United States.
Angus
Horned Hereford
Polled Hereford
Red Angus
Red Poll
Shorthorn
ADG

Average daily
gain.
AYW
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Adjusted
yearling weight.
A.I.

Artificial
Insemination.
AWW
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Adjusted
weaning weight.
EPD
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Expected
Progeny
Difference.
Bull
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Male animal used
for breeding cattle.
Steer
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Male that has been
castrated.
Cow
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Older female who
has given birth.
Heifer
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Female less than 3
years of age and
not given birth.
Polled
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Naturally
Hornless cattle.
Scurs
Small horn tissue
attached to the
skin rather than
the bone.
Horned
Horns growing
from the skull of
the animal.
Terminal Sire
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Bull that all of
his calves are
sold to market.
Paternial Sire
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Bull that all his
heifer calves are
used as
replacement
cows.
Open Female
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A non pregnant
female.
Marbling
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Specks of fat
found in the
muscular tissue.
Cutability
Amount of
saleable retail
cuts that are
obtained from
the carcass.
Culling
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Removing less
productive
animals from the
herd.
Dam
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Female parent.
Sire
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Male parent.
Free Martin
1 Male Calf
1 Female Calf
Heifer calf will not
breed.
Progeny
Offspring of
parents.
Pedigree

Record of the
ancestors of a
beef animal.
Cattle Frame Score
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Scores are given
from: 1-7
Helps place
grades and
prices to cattle.
Conformation
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The appearance
of the live
animal.
Includes:
Skeletal
structure ,
muscle, fat,
balance.
Artificial Insemination
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Used to improve
the quality of
the herd.
Dehorning
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Removal of the
horns.
Gestation Period
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285 Days
Ruminant
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1 Stomach
4 Compartments
Parts:
1. Rumen
2. Reticulum
3. Omasum
4. Abomasum
Closed Herd
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Herd in which no
outside breeding
stock are
introduced.
Dystocia
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Abnormal or
difficult labor
causing difficulty
in delivering the
fetus.
Calving Season
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Season of the
year when
calves are born.
Embryo Transfer
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Removing
fertilized eggs
from 1 donor
cow and placing
them in a host
cow.
Calf Crop

Number or
percentage of
calves produced
within a herd in
a given year
relative to the
number of cows.
Parturition
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Act of giving
birth; calving.
Ear Tag
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Method of
identification by
attaching a tag
to the ear.
Half-Sibs
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Cattle sharing
the same sire
but different
dams.
Half brother or
sister
Double Muscling
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Enlargement of
the muscles with
large grooves
between the
muscle.
Cow-Calf System
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Cows raise the
calves to
weaning age.
Those calves are
sold to other
growers.
Back Grounding System
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Calf is placed on
feed from
weaning to the
feedlot.
Finishing System
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Cattle are placed
on feed at the
feedlot until they
weigh 1,1001300lbs
Ration

Amount of feed
needed for a 24
hour period.
Enough feed for
weight gain
Breeds Group Webquest
1.
2.
2 people will work to present on a
breed of beef cattle.
Each group will create a 10 Slide
Presentation.
Cattle Breeds
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Charolais
Chianina
Angus
Hereford
Tarentaise
Limousin
Brahman
Maine Anjou
Piedmontese
Red Poll
Santa Gertrudis
Shorthorn
Beefmaster
Belgian Blue
Marchigiana
Romagnola
Salers
Red Angus
Simmental
Texas Longhorn
Wagyu
Gelbvieh
Florida Cracker
Galloway