BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
ORIGINS
• Cattle (colloquially cows) are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates.
• Cattle were originally identified by Carl Linnaeus as three separate species. These were:
• Bos taurus, the European or "taurine" cattle (including similar types from Africa and
Asia);
• Bos indicus, the Zebu;
• and the extinct Bos primigenius, the aurochs. The aurochs is ancestral to both zebu and
taurine cattle.
TERMINOLOGY
• Bull – An intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male breeding cattle of any age
Micky – a wild, young, unmarked bull (Australia)
Maverick – an unbranded bovine of either sex (US, Canada)
• Cow – a mature female cattle that has given birth
• Heifer – a young female before she has had a calf of her own and is under three years of age
• First-calf heifer – a young female that had only one calf
• Calf – young cattle of either sex and below one year of age
• Calf crop – the number of calves weaned over the number of cows and cycling heifers exposed
within a breeding season
• Calf drop – the number of calves born
• Calving – the act of giving birth in cows
• Feeder-calves/feeders – beef cattle that have been weaned
• Stag - a castrated male cattle operated after the secondary sex characters have been developed
• Steer – a castrated male cattle operated before the sex characters have been developed
• Bullocks – older steers; but in N. America it refers to a young bull
• Rig – an incompletely castrated male (some countries)
• Ox – a castrated male (occasionally a female or in some areas a bull) kept for draft purposes
• Freemartin – a female that is the twin of a bull which is usually infertile
• Poll/pollard/polled cattle – naturally hornless animals or in some areas also for those that have
been disbudded
• Milking/Dairy cattle – cattle of certain breeds bred specifically for milk production
• Bovine – adjective applying to cattle
• Cattle can only be used in the plural and not in singular
• Dogies – used to describe orphaned calves (American West)
• Moo – an onomatopoeic term for one of the commonest sounds made by cattle; also called
lowing
• Bellow – a loud deep hollow sound characteristic of a bull
• Bawling – wailing/crying out loudly of calves
CATTLE CHARACTERISTICS
Prey animals
Grazers
Poor depth perception
Panoramic vision
o 310 to 360®
o Blind side behind them
Keen hearing
Curious
Herd animals
o Will follow the leader
o Will eventually group
o Frightened by intruders
o Anxious when isolated
Isolated animals more dangerous
Mothers will protect their young
o Avoid separating cow-calf pair
Utilize cattle’s routine
Avoid the following:
o Abuse
o Loud noise, yelling
o Isolating animals
o Distractions
Use slow, deliberate movements
Balking
FLIGHT ZONE
Animals are handled easily if flight zone is understood
o Animal’s personal space
o Indicator of possible threat
Size of flight zone determined by
o Tameness
o Degree of excitement
Move away from flight zone
HERD FLIGHT ZONE
Same as individual
Collective flight zone
Move in slight arc, gradually tightening to obtain desired movement
Take your time
Ignore stragglers
CAPTURE AND CONTAINMENT
Dairy cattle
o Used to humans
o Easily penned
Beef cattle
o Feeding practices aid in containment
Range cattle
o Horses should be used in corralling
Makeshift corrals can be used
o Runaways and chutes can also be added
Wire fencing should be avoided
Chemical tranquilizers should be a last resort
BEHAVIOR AND HANDLING
Cattle adjust well if given proper feed, water, and shelter
Extra caution should be taken with bulls
Social order must be re-established
RESTRAINT
Squeeze chute
o Portable cattle chutes with head restraint are most desirable
o Head can be restrained with halter
Lariat and halter
Chemical sedation
CHEMICAL SEDATION
Monitor cattle in conditions of high heat and/or humidity
Winter weather requires special equipment
o Heaters
o Gritty, non-slip substances
o Antifreeze
SAFETY
Kicks
o Cattle kicks with back feet
Crowding
Crushing
Can inflict injuries with head
Don’t bite
Will run over you if desperate
