Livestock Management
Breeding values between
0.0 and 1.0
Steps in breeding
1) have vision of ideal phenotype 2) keep older heifers 3) cull female twins to male calves 4) EPDS= selection tool 5) repro tract scores and pelvic measurements of heifers
Between weaning and calving weights
1050-500= 550 lbs
Calve every __ months
12
When is a pigs earliest farrowing?
12 months if bred at 8 months
Pigs have _____ teats
12-16
Estrus cycle of cow
21 days
Sheep go into heat every ____
21 days
Wean calf at _____
210 days
When does a pig begin to lactate?
28 days
Gestation length pig
3/3/3
Sheep lactation
30-200 days
Ideal BCS for cattle
4-6
One bull can breed ___ cows
40
Need ____ days to make sure each cow gets 2 chances to conceive
42
Reusumption of cycling for cows by ____
45 days
When will cow be dry?
45-60 days before calving
Gestation period of sheep
5 months (150 days)
Beef cows have ______ calves in their lifetime
5-6
Calf should be ____ lbs before weaning
550
Sheep go into puberty at
6-18 months
Rebreed pigs ____ days after farrowing
7
Replacement heifers weaned at ___ months at ___ lbs
7, 500
When do we breed pigs?
8 months
Cows are large enough to give birth at __% mature BW
80 (1400x0.8)=1050 lbs
Cow gestation length
9 months
Rebreed cow in ________
90 days
AI or line breeding for pigs?
AI because can control heat cycles and can breed all in 1 day
What animals benefit from grazing?
All
When does a pig hit puberty
Around 6 months
Needle teeth
Baby teeth that we cut because super sharp and can hurt mothers teat and prevent milk let down
What gives birth at 23 months?
Beef cows to get 1 calf/year
When does a sheep hit puberty?
Between 5-12 months
Lifecycle of beef cow
Calving, post partum, re-breeding, lactation, weaning, dry cow, calving
Barrow
Castrated male
Steer
Castrated male
CAFO
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation "factory farm", feedlot with more than 1000 head
Gestation crate
Crate for each pregnant sow, can monitor nutrition of each sow
Farrowing crate
Crate small enough that mom cant roll over and squish babies --> babies in separate compartment with access to teats
Cows gain body condition during what phase of lifecycle?
Dry cow
Boar
Intact male
What animal has longest post partum period?
Sheep (low stress period)
Feedlot
Where beef cows go to get finished before slaughter
Can BCS help measure adequacy of your feeding program and why?
Yes, BCS= direct correlation to quality/quantity of feed
Can BCS determine when a cow is going to be fertile or infertile?
Yes, overweight or underweight cattle can determine fertility
Factors in weaning
age of mom, sex of calf, length of lactation
Puberty: heifers vs bulls
bulls come into heat later than heifers because need to get hormones in check
_____ make the best replacement heifers
calves from oldest heifers
What is special about sheep lambing?
can do it in the pasture without help
What is corn silage made of?
corn and corn stalks
Breeding values
cow genes, how good they are for specific traits
Pigs vs cows ovulation rates
different
Young bulls
dont know what youre getting, more stamina
EPD
expected progeny differences, used to rank beef cattle within a breed
Cow
female that has given birth
Nutritional drain
get skinny when lactating
How do we achieve estrous synchronization
group weaning
Sow
have lactated (given birth)
Which is better: higher weaning weight or higher birth weight?
higher weaning weight because high birth weight could cause problems
What are some alternatives to heifer management to help her fit into a calf/year
hormone therapy, breed 3 months after giving birth, breed at 23 months because of BCS and maturity
Bull
intact male
Older bulls
know what youre getting, safer, get tired faster
right ear ear notching
litter #
Nutrition vs anestrus
malnutrition may effect them coming back into heat
Wean early if
moms udders are in bad shape
Pigs are _________ ovulators who get better at ________
multiple, 3rd estrus
Dystocia
not feet first
Dry cow
not lactating female cow
Colostrum
nutrient and antibody rich
Rotational grazing is good for
pastures
left ear ear notching
piglet #
Iron shot
piglets born anemic in captivity so need iron shot. Not born anemic in wild
Prolactin
releases milk
Sheep are _____ breeders
seasonal, breed in fall (short day)
If sheep is marked with multiple rams
she is not taking
If sheep is marked by one ram...
she is pregnant
Sows scheduled to farrow at least ____ per year
twice
Gilt
unbred female
Ear notching
used for ID
Uterine involution
uterus recovers and prepares for rebreed
Check sperm and breeding soundness ____
yearly
