There are those who have stated out loud that a degree in agriculture will not be needed , and that the children of those in agricultural family’s will no longer be able to learn from generations of knowledge. I am a member of the Agriculture
Millennial Generation and at my age most of my education comes from the Agriculture Boomers; first hand knowledge or job training so to speak. I am the future of Agriculture; when I finish high school I plan to get a degree in Agriculture, Public Relations (promotion), and Business. Just to insure that you as a consumer can rest easy, and know that the next generation of the Agricultural community who grows the food that you are eating is educated and has your best interest and health at heart.
My on the job or first hand knowledge comes from two families that have a total of more than 200 years of hands on knowledge, and College degrees in the beef cattle producing community.
My goal is to have both a seed stock or pure bred herd and a commercial herd.
I guess the best place to start is at the beginning; I have learned of should I say have lived with this knowledge as long as I can remember.
I am writing this for the consumer that may or may not know that there are two entirely different types of cattle, Beef cattle and Dairy cattle and the two should not be confuse with each other. Dairy cattle are raised to give milk; and beef cattle are raised to grace your dinner table. I will be talking About BEEF cattle.
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| Red and Black Angus (beef cattle) |
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| Holstein (Dairy Cow) |
Beef Cows – “a beef cow does not spend a single day in a cattle-fattening feedlot, but instead lives on grass and hay her entire life, being retained for breeding and nursing: her job is to generate more cattle. Beef cows have a nine-month gestation period and usually give birth to a single calf either in the fall or in the spring. Most these calves are called "commercial" cattle as opposed to "purebreds," which are born from both a sire and dame of purebred ancestry. The majority of calves in this country are born in the spring and sold in the fall. The average calf weighs between 80 and 85 pounds at birth and lives on a diet of grass and its mother's milk. The calves run beside their mothers until they are weaned, which usually occurs when the calves are between six and eight months old and which time the calves will weigh between 500 to 650 pounds.”
The best Pure bred heifers are usually registered and kept to restock the herd, and the others are sold as commercial heifers; they are called replacement heifers. Cows are called heifers until they have conceived and have given birth to a calf.
“The Bulls that are used are usually purebred cattle in which multi-generational pedigrees have been maintained by a breed association; these bulls are produced by purebred breeders; who’s sole intent is to provide seed stock for the commercial beef cattle producer. These purebred producers test their cattle for weight gain and meat quality, and keep extensive records on their pedigreed livestock. When commercial producers purchase a bull in the spring or fall of the year, they are aided by a pedigree and by computerized records that indicate how a particular sire's offspring might perform. The price of these commercial bulls usually ranges from $1,500 to $4,000, while the purebred sire that was used to produce them might cost upwards of $20,000 or more.” Only the best of a breed makes the grade to become a registered purebred bull. A mature bull can weigh anywhere from under 2000 lbs to over 3300 lbs.
Steers are bulls that do not make the grade as a commercial bull. A steer is a bull that has been castrated to prevent breeding with cows and heifer calves it can also be thought of as a form of birth control; in addition "also to prevent them from being aggressive and hurting other cattle or those working with the cattle. As well as improving the quality of the meat for the consumer." Castrating a bull calf is done at a very early age two or three days old and sometime even a little older. The elastrator bloodless method is when an elastrator band (it looks like a very small rubber band) is placed around both testicles to cut off the blood supply to the testicle and causes the scrotum to fall off in about two weeks. This method is much like putting a rubber band around a wart to cut off the blood supply and the wart dries up and falls off; this is a very humane practice. Most of the beef that makes it to your dinner table comes from these types of cattle (steers). A finished steer can weigh about 1200 to 1400 pounds.
“Many ranchers consider themselves grass farmers. Their job is to convert grass to beef as efficiently as possible. Cattle spend between 80 and 100 percent of their lives on grazing lands and have played a role in the sustainable agricultural and Eco systems for centuries. Their manure and urine naturally fertilize the grasslands, and their hoofing action breaks up the crust of the soil.” Ranchers and cattlemen are great environmentalist and cattle play a key role in maintaining soil productivity and keeping forages in a healthy condition.
My information
Dad, Grandfather, Grandmother, Great Grandfather.
and two of the best cattlemen in my area.
Science Backed information
http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu
http://business.highbeam.com
Beef Production Medicine and Management
http://www.agintheclassroom.org
My next blog will be - Cattle the Digestion Process and What They Eat.
