Simulating Beef Cattle Herd Productivity with Varying Cow Liveweight and Fixed Feed Supply

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Lydia J. Farrell ◽  
Stephen T. Morris ◽  
Paul R. Kenyon ◽  
Peter R. Tozer
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Calf Growth ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Beef Cow ◽  
Beef Herd ◽  
Efficiency Data

The liveweight of New Zealand beef cows has increased in recent decades due to selection for higher growth rates. Published data suggest that the efficiency of beef cow production decreases with increasing cow liveweight. Changes in beef herd size, feed demand, production, and cash operating surplus (COS) were simulated with average mature cow liveweight varied to 450, 500, 550, and 600 kg. With total annual beef feed demand fixed at the same level, in all scenarios cow numbers and numbers of weaned calves decreased with increasing cow liveweight. When the model was run with consistent efficiency of calf production across the mature cow liveweights (scenario A), heavier cows were more profitable. However, using published efficiency data (scenarios B and C), herds of heavier cows were less profitable. The likely most realistic scenario for New Zealand hill country farms (scenario B) had COS decrease from New Zealand Dollars (NZD) 456/ha with a herd of 450 kg cows to NZD 424/ha with 600 kg cows. Reductions in COS were relatively small, which may not deter farmers from breeding heavier cows for higher calf growth rates. However, the results of this analysis combined with indirect potential economic impacts suggest that the heaviest cows may not be optimal for New Zealand hill country conditions.

Survey of Salmonella Serotypes Shed in Feces of Beef Cows and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns

2000 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 1648-1653 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. DARGATZ ◽  
P. J. FEDORKA-CRAY ◽  
S. R. LADELY ◽  
K. E. FERRIS
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
National Study ◽  
Salmonella Spp ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Beef Cow ◽  
Common Serotypes ◽  
Cow Calf

Salmonella prevalence on cow-calf operations was studied as a part of a national study of health and management of the U.S. beef cow-calf industry and was conducted as part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System. Within this study, the prevalence of Salmonella spp. shed in feces was determined. A total of 5,049 fecal samples were collected from 187 beef cow-calf operations each visited on a single occasion. The number of fecal samples collected per operation was predetermined based on herd size. Salmonellae were recovered from 1 or more fecal samples collected on 11.2% (21 of 187) of the operations. Overall 78 salmonellae representing 22 serotypes were recovered from 1.4% (70 of 5,049) of samples. Multiple serotypes were recovered from eight samples from a single operation. The five most common serotypes were Salmonella Oranienburg (21.8% of isolates), and Salmonella Cerro (21.8%), followed by Salmonella Anatum (10.3%), Salmonella Bredeney (9.0%), and Salmonella Mbandaka (5.1%). The most common serogroups identified were C1 (33.3%), K (21.8%), B (16.7%), and E (15.4%). Even though the recovery rate of salmonellae from fecal samples was very low, 43.6% (34 of 78) and 38.5% (30 of 78) of the isolates were among the 10 most common serotypes from cattle with clinical signs of disease or isolated from humans, respectively. The majority of the isolates (50 of 78; 64.1%) were recovered from fecal samples from two operations. All isolates were screened for resistance to a panel of 17 antimicrobics, and 87.2% (68 of 78) were susceptible to all of the antimicrobics. The resistant isolates were most commonly resistant to streptomycin (n = 9) and/or sulfamethoxazole (n = 9). Nine isolates showed multiple (≥2 antimicrobics) resistance most commonly to streptomycin and sulfamethoxazole (n = 6).

A comparison of the growth rate of single and twin born beef calves

1990 ◽  
Vol 1990 ◽  
pp. 5-5
Author(s):  
M.G. Diskin ◽  
T.G. McEvoy ◽  
J.M. Sreenan
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Litter Size ◽  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Simulation Study ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Biological Efficiency ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Beef Calves ◽  
Beef Cow ◽  
Birth Type

It is frequently hypothesised that Increasing the litter size of the beef cow would increase output and biological efficiency. Such hypothesis is supported by the simulation study of Guerra-Martlnez et al (1987), which Indicated that twinning would Increase biological and economic efficiency of beef production by 20 to 25%. However, there is little published data on the comparative growth rates of single-born, single-reared and twin-born and twin-reared beef calves. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of birth type (single or twin) on growth rate from birth through to beef and on final carcase weight, carcase conformation and fatness level.

scholarly journals Genetic Parameters for Growth, Ultrasound and Carcass Traits in New Zealand Beef Cattle and Their Correlations with Maternal Performance

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Franziska Weik ◽  
Rebecca E. Hickson ◽  
Stephen T. Morris ◽  
Dorian J. Garrick ◽  
Jason A. Archer
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Carcass Traits ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Live Animal ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Maternal Performance

Research has shown that enhancing finishing performance in beef cows is feasible; however, any adverse impact of selection strategies for finishing performance on the performance of the maternal herd should be taken into account. The aim of this research was to examine the inheritance of growth, ultrasound and carcass traits in finishing beef cattle and to evaluate their correlations with maternal performance traits. Data were collected from a nationwide progeny test on commercial New Zealand hill country farms comprising a total of 4473 beef cows and their progeny. Most finishing traits were moderately to highly heritable (0.28–0.58) with the exception of meat or fat colour and ossification (0.00–0.12). Ultrasound scan traits had high genetic correlations with corresponding traits measured at slaughter (rg = 0.53–0.95) and may be used as a selection tool for improved genetic merit of the beef carcass. Fat content determined via ultrasound scanning in the live animal or at slaughter in finishing cattle is positively genetically correlated with rebreeding performance (rg = 0.22–0.39) in female herd replacements and negatively correlated with mature cow live weight (rg = −0.40 to −0.19). Low-magnitude associations were observed between the genetic merit for carcass fat traits with body condition in mature cows.

scholarly journals Lucerne for high quality summer feed in North Island hill country

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 169-174
Author(s):  
A.W. Mcgowan ◽  
G.W. Sheath ◽  
R.W. Webby
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Annual Basis ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Summer Growth

It is common to have a shortage of high quality summer feed on hill country farms in New Zealand, due to a deterioration of pasture growth during the drier months. Lucerne produces high quality feed during summer on lowland fields; however, its potential in hill country is unknown. This study measured the persistence of lucerne and evaluated its seasonal production relative to pasture. These results were then modelled for a typical sheep and beef farm to assess the potential benefits of including lucerne on the farm. Monthly growth rates of lucerne (six cultivars) and pasture were measured pregrazing, and lucerne viability was assessed at the end of the five-year study. Lucerne was successfully established and maintained on hill country for five years. On average, the total annual production of lucerne and pasture were similar, with only the highest yielding cultivar 'Rere' consistently outproducing pasture on an annual basis. Lower spring production of lucerne was compensated for by higher summer growth rates of 62 kg DM/ha/day, compared with 34 kg DM/ha/day for pasture. The extra summer feed from lucerne enabled a model farm that included 12.5% lucerne to carry more animals and produce lambs of heavier slaughter weight than on a pasture only basis. This gave a predicted increase in the gross margin of 3%. The impact of lucerne on other farms must be modelled individually to establish the best system to utilise the additional high quality summer feed. Key words: lucerne, modelling, quality summer feed

Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales

2018 ◽  
Vol 592 ◽  
pp. 267-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Christiansen ◽  
F Vivier ◽  
C Charlton ◽  
R Ward ◽  
A Amerson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Maternal Body ◽  
Calf Growth ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
Southern Right Whales

Pathways ahead for New Zealand hill country farming

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.G. Scrimgeour
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
The Status ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill

This paper provides a stocktake of the status of hill country farming in New Zealand and addresses the challenges which will determine its future state and performance. It arises out of the Hill Country Symposium, held in Rotorua, New Zealand, 12-13 April 2016. This paper surveys people, policy, business and change, farming systems for hill country, soil nutrients and the environment, plants for hill country, animals, animal feeding and productivity, and strategies for achieving sustainable outcomes in the hill country. This paper concludes by identifying approaches to: support current and future hill country farmers and service providers, to effectively and efficiently deal with change; link hill farming businesses to effective value chains and new markets to achieve sufficient and stable profitability; reward farmers for the careful management of natural resources on their farm; ensure that new technologies which improve the efficient use of input resources are developed; and strategies to achieve vibrant rural communities which strengthen hill country farming businesses and their service providers. Keywords: farming systems, hill country, people, policy, productivity, profitability, sustainability

scholarly journals Evolution in Configuration and Productivity of New Zealand Hill Country Sheep and Beef Cattle Systems

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 531
Author(s):  
Januarius Gobilik ◽  
Stephen Todd Morris ◽  
Cory Matthew
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Metabolic Energy ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Cattle Systems

Metabolic energy budgeting (MEB) was used to evaluate evolution over 30 years (1980–1981 to 2010–2011) in New Zealand southern North Island ‘hill country’ sheep and beef cattle systems. MEB calculates energy required by animals for body weight maintenance, weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and lactation to estimate the system feed demand and thereby provide a basis for calculating feed conversion efficiency. Historic production systems were reconstructed and modeled using averaged data from industry surveys and data from owners’ diaries of three case-study farms and reviewed for patterns of change over time. The modeling indicated that pasture productivity was 11% lower and herbage harvested was 14% lower in 2010–2011 than in the early 1980s. This productivity decline is attributable to warmer, drier summer weather in recent years. However, primarily through increased lambing percentage, feed conversion efficiency based on industry data improved over the study period from 25 to 19 kg feed consumed per kg lamb weaned, while meat production rose from 137 to 147 kg per ha per year. Similar improvements were observed for the three case farms. The New Zealand MEB model was found effective for analysis of tropical beef production systems in Sabah, Malaysia.

scholarly journals 80 Evaluation of extended release eprinomectin efficacy on multiparous beef cow performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 11-11
Author(s):  
Laine Zammit ◽  
Jermey G Powell ◽  
Reagan N Cauble ◽  
Toby D Lester ◽  
Callan Lichtenwalter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extended Release ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Economic Loss ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Negative Control ◽  
Beef Cow ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Calving Season ◽  
Cow Performance ◽  
Fall Calving

Abstract Internal parasitism inevitability prompts economic loss in beef cattle production by decreasing growth performance and reproductive traits. Previous studies have conflicting results on the macrocyclic lactones (ML) efficacy against internal parasitism. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of milbeymycin and avermectin sub groups of ML on cow performance. Multiparous fall calving, crossbred beef cows (n = 106) were allocated randomly to 1 of 3 anthelmintic treatments: 1) Negative control (CON), in which cows did not receive an anthelmintic, 2) Injectable moxidectin (MOX) and 3) Injectable extended release eprinomectin (ERE). Body weights (BW), body condition scores (BCS), and fecal egg counts (FEC) were taken throughout the duration of the calving season to weaning on d0, d80, d162, and d217, with weaning occurring on d217. Performance data were analyzed using the MIXED procedures of SAS, and pregnancy data were analyzed using the GENMOD procedures of SAS. Significance was fixed at P < 0.05 and tendencies were established from 0.05 ≤ P ≤ 0.10. There was no effect of anthelmintic treatment on cow BW (P ≥ 0.57) or cow BCS (P ≥ 0.22) during the 217 d study; however, CON cows tended to have lower BCS (P = 0.08) throughout the duration of the study. Cows treated with ERE had fewer FEC compared to MOX and CON groups (P ≤ 0.001) and tended to improve pregnancy rates (c2 = 0.0546). Calf weaning weight was similar among treatments averaging 216, 225, and 223 kg regarding CON, MOX, and ERE cow treatments, respectively.

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