ANSC 101 Test 2

The Campbell's soup company uses this very inexpensive source of "spent hens" for its famous Chicken Noodle Soup.

Heavy Hens

________has the greatest number of dairy cattle in the world. The U.S. ranks _______ for total milk production per cow, but _________ for total fluid milk production. Overall, the U.S. is a net ____________ of dairy products.

India, fourth, first, exporter

According to the salary data published by Maryland's Bureau of Labor Statistics, farm workers earn a yearly salary in the range of:

$25,000-35,000

Number of beef farms down since 2007...

(MD beef industry)

Stages of laying production

**vertical integration breeding hen farms, hatchery, table egg farms (egg production), grocery store

Aquaculture

-

What are trends in the dairy industry over the past 160 years?

-A decreasing percentage of the nation's cattle are dairy cattle. -Many dairy farmers grow the crops that feed their cows. -Dairy farms are using more and more automated systems to reduce labor costs. -Through advances in genetics, nutrition, and management, the average dairy cow is producing more milk than ever.

The Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program....

Plays an important role in facilitating genetic progress in the U.S. dairy industry Enables producers to compare their farm's performance with that of other farms within their state

What drives the trend in greater numbers of large herd and farm size?

Profitability cow numbers have gone down large farms have a better chance of getting return on assets and equity

Beef: government regulations

-depends on what kind of farm you have -qualifications for permits that are specific (different factors)

Trends in the US sheep industry

-downward trend since end of WWII -making the transition from minor industry -less emphasis on wool production -small dairy sheep industry -growing importance of ethnic markets and direct marketing -sheep for vegetation control -increase in hair sheep

Feed storage (same for small and large)

-horizontal silos (plastic and recycled tired) -bunkers -trenches -bags (frequent)

Why are the number of farms in MD declining?

-more efficient farming -demand is decreasing ex: cows are becoming more efficient in production, so we can produce the same amount of milk with less animals

When getting started...

-must understand legal/ zoning regulations as they depend on the counties and cities -know what the use of the chicken is (egg, meat), how many eggs, meat yield = determines breed -the amount of birds (depends on zoning, location) -restrictions to facility size, location etc.

Why should you care about aquaculture?

-the ocean in not boundless -more than 70% of major ocean species are fully exploited in decline from overfishing -global demand is increasing RAPIDLY -seafood is healthier than other protein/ meats

Cattle manure management (large)

-weeping wall system for solid-liquid seperation -sand setting lanes: effluent system for recovering sand and recycling water -anaerobic digesters to produce biogas

Between December 2014 and June 2015, 12% of egg-laying chickens in the United States died because of this highly pathogenic disease carried by migratory waterfowl.

Avain influenza

Profitability of a commercial cow-calf operation

Calf crop percentages: e.g. number of calves produced per 100 cows in the breeding herd Average weight of calves at weaning: 7-9 months Annual cow costs: dollars required to keep a cow each year

"Foodies" know that these castrated male birds are tender, plump, and delicious. At 7-9 pounds each, they feed about 6-8 people.

Capons

Each industry in US

Chickens 1,917,000,000 Turkeys 240,000,000 Cattle 89,299,600 Pigs 64,775,000 Horses 10,350,000 Sheep 5,335,000 Goats 2,811,000

Winter of 1886-1887...

Extremely harsh winter that saw hundreds of thousands of cattle die because they couldn't get to the feed. -ended open range era -led to beef industry reorganization

True/ False A herd of purebred cattle, such as Angus or Herefords, which are particularly uniform in one or two characteristics, such as color or color pattern, are highly homozygous for most traits.

False

True/ False According to the 2017 USDA Agricultural census, Maryland is a leading Turkey producing state.

False

True/ False The mating of sheep and goats will result in a fertile pregnancy

False Sheep: 54 chromosomes Goat: 60 chromosomes

Traits chosen by cross-breeding due to high heterosis (the tendency of a crossbred individual to show qualities superior to those of both parents) :

Fertility

Behavioral differences between sheep and goats

Sheep -Distant and aloof, easily "spooked", stronger herding instinct, grazers: prefer to eat grass and forbs, graze close to the soil surface, prefer short, tender grass, rams charge Goats -Curious and independent, less gregarious, more likely to seek shelter, browsers: prefer to eat shrubs, twigs, and vines, top-down grazers, like to get on hind legs to eat, bucks rear up before charging.

Physical differences between sheep and goats

Sheep (tails down) -Most sheep are polled, horns are more curvy, sometimes have a mane, split upper lip, face or tear glands, foot or scent glands between toes, deposit fat externally (except hair sheep), heavier muscled, faster growing Goats (tails up) -Most goats have horns that straighter and narrower, sometimes have a beard, more agile, deposit fat internally (around organs), lighter muscled, slower growing

Lactation: Sheep vs goat

Sheep: Produce less, but better quality milk. shorter lactation period. Goat: Produce more milk (weight, volume) Longer lactation period.

Sheep reproduction

Shorter estrus cycle - 17 days. Complicated cervix Few visible signs of heat More difficult to AI occurs during the fall gestation: 147 days

__________ replaced ______________ which were then crossed with _______________

Shorthorns, Herefords, Black Angus (have the most desirable traits for meat production - marbeling) -downside of black angus breeding is the heat stress in sunny environments

4 Aspects of Farm Economics

Solvency, Profitability, Efficiency, Cash Flow

Difference between small ruminant and bovine

Teats and milk composition economically different to raise nutritional requirements different reproductive cyclically sheep produce wool; lambs are favorable in comparison to beef

Agricultural economics includes the study of...

The decisions people in the farming sector make about how to use limited resources to produce, distribute, and consume agricultural products and services. very important when it comes to breeding

What is aquaculture?

The reproduction and growth of aquatic plants and animals in a controlled or semi-controlled environment // fish farming

Feed costs for beef cattle are lowest in which region of the US?

The southern plains

Macro economics

The study of the economy as a whole ex: Studying the effects of Chinese tariffs on American beef exports, Calculating the contribution to gross domestic product from the agricultural sector

True/ False Concentrates are fed to lactating dairy cattle because a diet of roughages alone is not adequate to meet their dietary requirements for lactation.

True

True/ False Feeding programs should be designed to have cows and heifers in a moderate body condition.

True

True/ False First calf heifers should be monitored every 4 hours during calving season.

True

True/ False Growth stimulants given to nursing calves will increase weaning weights by 5-15%.

True

True/ False Most oyster farms are located on public lands that have been leased to the farmer(s) from the state or federal government.

True

True/ False Post weaning growth is measures growth from weaning to finished weight

True

True/ False Postweaning growth is especially important to feedlot operators

True

Sheep purpose and breds

Wool -dual purpose breeds: wool and meet -Cheviot, Dorset, Finnsheep, Hampshire, Shropshire, Southdown, Suffolk, Columbia, Corridale, Polypay, Targhee, Border Leicester, Lincoln, Romney Hair -Dorper, Katahdin, St, Croix

Solvency

a measure of the ability of a farm operation to satisfy its debt obligations when due Balance Sheet: long term financial condition

Profitability

a relative measure of the success or failure of a business income statement: will condition improve?

Vertical Integration is best described as...

a supply chain (animals, feeds, services) is united through a common owner

The least important factor in driving the changes in demand for chicken and turkey meat in the US over the past 30 years was a. Cost b. Taste c. Health concerns d. Convenience

a. Cost

Land availability and cost

amount required depends on set-up land is expensive urbanization - limits future goals of expansion, crops

How is running a farm expensive?

animal costs (feed, health) rent/ taxes upkeep operating loans (many small farms barely breakeven at the end of the year)

Feed pricing and compostion

average holstein ~40 lbs per day corn, soybean meal, haylage Purchase: price set by sellers Make own (more likely): seed cost, labor, equipment, weather

Which feeder type is most likely to profit from yardage charges?

commercial Yardage charged are daily non-feed cost not associated with ownership of the cattle

Laying Industry

concentrated in midwest separate from broilers to prevent spread of disease to ALL birds

An egg is laid with a protective covering around it called the ________________. In the US, it is industry practice to wash all eggs before placing them in cartons. As washing removes this protective covering, US eggs are shipped, sold, and stored in a refrigerator case.

cuticle

Those who fish and farm seafood share similar challenges to those who raise animals on land, including: a. Rising labor costs b. Decreasing profit margins c. Physically demanding working conditions d. All of the above

d. All of the above

Oyster farming has the added environmental benefit of: a. Supporting crab habitat b. Increasing water nitrogen and phosphorus levels. c. Increasing water oxygen levels d. Filtering pollutants from the water e. Reducing salinity of the water.

d. Filtering pollutants from the water

Avain Influenza ???

death, flock euthanized, can't get chickens for a year (farm itself), 5 mile radius farms cannot get chickens for 6 months decrease supply prices will increase because farms will not be producing what they had chicken consumption will go down and leads to increased demand in other industries (demand shift)

As the number of cows increase, production costs________

decrease

What is the public perception of aquaculture?

they think the fish are not taken care of well and the wild caught will "taste better"

Milk systems (small scale)

tie-stall, parlor, stanchion, robot

Visual scores of body condition (BCS) in cows are used.....

to minimize costs and obtain optimum levels of percent calf crop and weaning weight

Ration formulation in dairy animals is difficult because their needs change significantly over the course of their production cycle. The two most limiting nutrients in their rations are....

water and energy

depreciation

wearing out (included in expenses)

Ewe breeds

white-faced, fine/ medium wool reproductive efficiency, wool production, size, milk

The breeding program for many large range sheep flocks involves using __________ breeds or _____________ breeds of ewes to mate with ram breeds excelling in ________________ and __________ characteristics

wool dual-purpose growth rate carcass

Net Worth

your wealth what you have after you pay off your debt

since the mid-80s, the number of dairy farms in MD has been...

decreasing

When farmers obtain veterinary care for their animals, they must rely on a breakeven analysis to determine the best course of action. Based on this concept, we can expect farmers to invest more in animal health interventions (vaccines, foot care, parasiticides,) when health care costs are __________ , the intervention ___________ the animal's productivity, and the value of the animal's meat, milk, or fiber is _______________ .

decreasing, increases, increasing

It is often_________ to meet the nutrient requirements of high producing dairy cattle during the first ___________________ postpartum because nutrient demand is high but feed intake is limited.

difficult, 2-4 months

In a commercial meat sheep operation, a. breeding choices capitalize on heterosis to improve production traits in the lambs. b. most or all of the lamb crop is derived from cross breeding. c. Females with good lambing and mothering traits can be bred to sires with good meat carcass traits. d. breeding strategies can be matched to the production goals of the farm. e. All of the above

e. All of the above

The chef at Ida B's restaurant features blue catfish on the menu to: a. Highlight recipies that pay homage to MD history b. Help reduce the population of a non-native, invasive fish species in Chesapeake bay waters. c. Provide diners with enticing menu items d. Capitalize on the cleaner taste of this species of fish. e. All of the above

e. All of the above

Dual Purpose

either used as ewe or ram breeds

Variable costs

ex: Hay costs, Advertising expenses, Veterinary care, AIl technician visit costs

Fixed costs

ex: Property taxes, Building maintenance, Depreciation on the farm tractor

The US is a net_____________ for dairy

exporter

3. Labor costs

family members/ owners do most labor daily chores (feeding, milking, cleaning, management of herd, feed, equipment) labor is expensive, hard to find reliability (one case of mastitis can cause issues in the entire production)

income statement

farm income and expenses

Typically, the largest expense on a livestock operation is...

feed

why are black angus the best producers?

fine marbling creates good flavor genetic ability to improve the value of commercial cattle produce fewer calving problems than any other beef breed

What kinds of products are production in aquaculture?

food recreation -ex: largemouth bass produced and released in private ponds for fishing ornamental -ex: koi or lotus medicinal -ex: seaweed in ice cream or makeup

A newly hatched fish is called a...

fry

Animal breeders must focus on the traits of economic importance in their species and production type to produce animals with traits that producers want. For this reason, sheep breeding operations focus on traits of economic importance. We know that these traits are:

highly heritable

Egg production is ____________________________ and ____________________________in the US.

highly integrated, highly concentrated

Milk cow housing

ideal temp: 25-65 degrees -tie-stall -free-stall with bedding and grooved concrete floors: most economically valuable because the cows are easier to control -bedded pack pasture (mattress bedding = comfortable): best options because it is easier to get to the cow and it is most comfortable, there could be an economic advancement to selling your milk as "free range" -corrals ***with flush system

Breeding methods

improving cattle - economically important triats

profit =

income and expenses

To improve water quality, a fish farmer might use an electric paddle wheel to:

increase oxygen levels in the water

The broiler industry is highly ______________ , meaning that a large company will control all aspects of production, from breeding through marketing & distribution. The broiler industry is also highly ___________________ , with the more than 90% of poultry being produced by just 10 firms.

integrated, consolidated

Public perception of dairy

lack of understanding...

A key difference between MD dairies and the large commercial operations out west...

larger operations can achieve a lower breakeven value

2. Facility Limitations

limited cash flow -> older construction -> retro-fitted facilities -> reduced cow comfort housing, milking system, feed storage - pros and cons of each

Housing for broilers

long housing arrangements prep: cleaned, dried, litter (recycled) floor space: insufficient (canabolism), too much (bored) feeder space, water requirements, lighting requirements

Right now, dairy demand is ________ than production

lower

What is marbling and why is it so important?

marbling is the fat found within a cut of meat and between the muscle fibers themselves. A high-quality steak will have a lot of marbling, while a lean cut will have very little or no visible marbling.

5 Carcass merit

measured by quality grades and yield grades

2 Weaning weight

measured objectively by weighing -reflects the milking and mothering ability of cow and pre-weaning growth rate of calf -205-day weight -expressed as a ratio by dividing the calfs adjusted weight by the average weight of other calves -creepfeeding

6 longevity

measures the length of productive life

Efficiency?

most efficient compared to other animal proteins

Replacement heifers

objective = identify heifers that conceive early, calve easily, milk production, wean heavy calves good post-weaning and carcass capacity

Aquaculture systems

ponds -most popular cages -easy to harvest and manage raveways -long channels with constantly flowing water recirculating systems -commercial and public aquariums -uses less water to raise large qualities

Efficiency

productivity of resources deals with scale (unit of production) take numbers and divide by number of animal

challenges facing broiler industry

public influence on process -no antibiotics ever, no GMO, local -everyone wants to eat chicken but no one wants to be near farms and plants overproduction -processing plants can't handle the amount of breeding facilities

What is it so limited?

regulations, permits there is a lot, many years when starting an aquaculture farm

8 genetic defects

single pair of genes are usually recessive and determine defects

Why do small-scale dairy farms not have hired labor?

small scale farming systems don't generally hire labor as it is hard to find reliable workers family owned farming lifestyle

Maryland is mostly ___________ scale dairy farms while the US is _________ scale

smalle (50-200) large (3,000-5,000) Most dairy farms are family owned

Broiler Industry

southeast US

In ewes with short breeding periods, it is typical to see lambing season take place mostly in the:

spring These breeds only have estrous cycles during the fall (from early fall to late fall), and thus can only get pregnant during the fall. Looking at the gestation length of ~5 months (147 days), we see that lambing should take place from Feb through April)

Incubation

temperature (99.5-100 degrees) - starts at a higher temperature then is lower humidity (60-65%) - optimum hatchability position - air cell up (large end) turning - prevents embryo from sticking to shell CO2 and O2 content sanitation candling - examining egg

Liquidity/ Cash flow

the ability to immediately cover debt obligations with cash or assets on hand Liquidity is important to any agricultural business, but may be even more critical depending on what you produce, how long it takes you to produce it and how it's sold or marketed the difference between cash coming in and cash going out of a business

The market price of calves needs to be _____________ than the BE value for the farmer to be able to make a profit on selling calves.

higher BE = (% calf crop X weaning weight) / (annual cow cost)

Is aquaculture important?

-seafood consumption in the US has been on the rise for the last 30 years -high demand for seafood globally -around 50% of all seafood comes from aquaculture -control of the feed and quality of the water minimize contamination and ensure a wholesome and high quality product

What is the place of the beef industry in US Ag?

it is the single largest money generating commodity in ag 1.37 billion heads

Vertical Integration

one company owns and controls the birds at multiple if not ALL of the stages of production breeding, hatching, raising farmers, slaughtering, processing **beef industry is not integrated because beef are sold from birth to feedlots to seed-stock to slaughter to packaging

Poultry Industry

-

Small Beef Industry

-

Small Ruminants

- sheep, goats, deer

What kind of practices can be seen in more use on larger dairy farms and why?

AI, vet services, and feed purchased leads to increase in productivity and can focus on efficiently milking the cows (tech. uses)

segments of us goat industry

Meat - largest segment Dairy -CA, WI, TX, IO, PE, NY, MI, New England Fiber vegetation control, biomedical, hides and skins

True/ False Reproductive performance has the greatest economic importance to beef cattle.

True

True/ False The primary objective of a stocker-yearling operation is to make the most pounds of cattle gain within economic reason.

True

True/ False There were more dairy cows in the US in 1900 than in 2009

True

What is the United Egg Producers?

US assurance program for farmers that promotes animal welfare (on label)

Mariculture

aquaculture conducted in salt water ex: shrimp, salmon, oysters, and algae production

Takes a chicken around ______ hours to lay an egg

26 the hen will produce for two years around 291 eggs per birds per year

A distributor is ordering processed whole birds, cuts, and sections to sell to large grocery chains.

3's and up

Challenges for small-scale dairy farms

1. economics: efficiency, milk prices, world market influencing US prices 2. technology/ facility limitations: 3. marketing/ public perceptions, labor:

Large scale dairy farms

10,000-30,000 cows

For the average cow-calf producer, cross-breeding can result in what degree of change in the pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed?

10-30%

A commercial cow-calf operation has a 72 rate of calves weaned per cow, an average weaning weight of 746 and a $565 annual cost per cow. This farm's break even price is $______ per hundred weight.

105.19 Make sure you understand the calculation presented in your book.

The standard lactation period for a cow on a US dairy farm is _____ days

305

According to the 2017 USDA Agricultural census (Links to an external site.), producers in the state of Maryland raised a total of _______ million broiler chickens in 2017.

306.7

According to the 2017 USDA Agricultural census , producers in the state of Maryland produced a total of _______ million table eggs in 2017.

83

US vs MD small-scale dairy farms and the cows on those farms

???

A dairy farmer can use standardized milk production records to make which of the following comparisons...

A cow that was milked 4 times per day on a farm equipped with an automated milking system (robot) can be compared to a cow that was milked 2 times per day in a conventional milking parlor A cow that has a lactation length of 400 days can be compared to a cow with a lactation length of 300 days A cow in her first lactation can be compared with a cow in her third lactation

Trends in the Dairy Industry

Milk demand has not gone down in the US but there are less cows with more produced due to technology, management

Where is the sheep and goat population concentrated?

Asia next, Africa, Europe, Americas

Following WWII, feedlot industry grew due to large grocery chains...

EMPHASIZED MARKET UNIFORMALITY -cattle originally fattened on farm or not at all -second activity on grain farm -excess grain production found a ready outlet in feedlots -increasing production costs consumers grew to like the flavor (grain fed) -coupled with the development of grocery chains, demand grew -new industry segment developed where cattle were fed grain in finishing

Goat nutrition

Higher maintenance requirements Require a more nutritious diet Higher copper requirements Less susceptible to copper toxicity

If a dairy producer wants to decrease incidence of health disorders, such as ketosis, milk fever, and mastitis, the best plan of action would be to:

Improve environmental and management conditions to help prevent cows from getting sick

Know how to ID these 6 breeds of beef cow

Limousin Angus Charolais Brahman Hereford Shorthorn

Goat reproduction

Longer estrus cycle - 21 days. More obvious signs of heat Not difficult to AI Buck has odor, especially during rut September-October

Sheep nutrition

Lower maintenance requirements Lower copper requirements More susceptible to copper toxicity

Challenges of laying industry

Males chicks -cannot send to broiler because of genetics and muscle growth (Leghorn chickens) -not needed in reproduction in large numbers -killed at day 1 of hatching: maybe used in snake food or research Consumer communication -communicated through labeling -allows consumer to make choice (diagram?)

The most important disease to the dairy industry is...

Mastitis

True/ False A crossbreeding system will maximize heterosis in a herd of beef cattle.

True

True/ False Cattle evolved to avoid feeding competition with other herbivores

True

A small hatchery providing chicks to the (backyard) small flock market hires a new technician who is neither attentive to details nor professional in her work ethic. There has been a higher-than-average mortality rate since she started working, with some surviving chicks appearing deformed and unable to stand. What is the most likely cause of the problem you are seeing? a. The incubator temperature was left at its initial settings for the duration of the incubation period. b. The humidity inside the incubator was too low. c. Eggs were turned 5-6 times per day. d. Eggs were placed broad side up. e. The outflow vent for the air exchange system was blocked.

a. The incubator temperature was left at its initial settings for the duration of the incubation period.

Given our planet's growing population, consumer preferences, and trends in wild caught and farmed seafood species, it is likely that globally, commercial aquaculture will a. increase production over time. b. decrease production over time. c. remain about the same. d. It's not possible to tell.

a. increase production over time.

According to the USDA Ag census data for MD, there are ______________________ beef cows than dairy cows (excluding calves) in the state of MD. The number of beef cows in the state of MD is ____________ than the number of swine in the state. The number of beef cows in the state of MD is _____________ than the number of meat birds in the state.

about the same number of higher lower

Bull Selection

accounts for 80-90% of genetic improvements in a herd -breeding values (phenotype, genotype)

A dairy producer has been using sexed semen for 2 years and now has an ample crop of heifers to choose as replacements. Her older cows have been culled primarily due to reproductive failure (infertility). To choose her replacements, she should: a. Randomly pick from her heifer crop, since they all probably have similar genetic merit b. Select heifers whose pedigree data indicate good production and good fertility traits. c. Select only heifers with pedigree data that indicate high fertility. d. Select heifers whose pedigree data show high production. e. Select heifers that will score high for udder conformation and stature traits

b. Select heifers whose pedigree data indicate good production and good fertility traits.

How do we prevent Avain Influenza?

biosecurity vaccinations PPE don't wear the same clothes, shower in-shower out

Steps of production

brood stock selection controlled reproduction egg care and management larval rearing/hatchery feeding -large trucks blow feed maintaining water quality -to insure optimum growing conditions -oxygen levels (electric paddle wheel aerator) harvesting -after around 18 months -long nets call Sainz are stretched across the ponds -suppled with O2 to ensure alive processing -variety of product forms -majority are quick-frozen for transport transportation marketing

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the use of the Net Merit Index for making breeding decisions? a. The Net Merit Index incorporates economically valuable traits, such as milk fat and protein yields, into a single selection tool b. Producers using the Net Merit Index as their basis for selection are able to improve upon milk yield and economically important conformation traits simultaneously c. Producers using the Net Merit Index for selection will not have to worry about their cows getting mastitis d. Milk protein yield is weighted more heavily than milk fat yield in the Net Merit Index

c. Producers using the Net Merit Index for selection will not have to worry about their cows getting mastitis

Strictly speaking, which of the following activities is not a form of aquaculture? a. Growing shrimp in tanks at a commercial facility in Louisiana b. Cultivating oysters in the Chesapeake bay c. Trawling for cod in New England d. Operating a clam nursery on the Eastern shore e. Growing and harvesting kelp for use in cosmetics.

c. Trawling for cod in New England

Selection and breeding practices in the broiler industry... a. have been based on intensive selection in the Leghorn breed. b. are increasingly focused on qualitative traits. c. have led to 4 breeding firms controlling 90% of chicken genetics market d. have allowed producers to have less stringent husbandry requirements. e. have eliminated animal welfare concerns for poultry animals.

c. have led to 4 breeding firms controlling 90% of chicken genetics market

On the UMD campus farm, we breed and raise Katahdin sheep, a type of _____ sheep. Their primary purpose is to be raised for _________

hair, meat

A farm with a high net worth...

has a lot of valuable assets

challenges of the MD beef industry

no packaging companies lack of funding lack of land availability government regulations

7 conformation

the form, shape, and visual appearance of an animal

Micro economics

the part of economics concerned with single factors and the effects of individual decisions. ex: Analyzing husbandry choices that small ruminant producers make in regions where land is expensive, Studying the demands of consumers at suburban farmer's markets, Understanding the monetary value animal welfare minded consumers will place on "certified humane" eggs.

4 Feed efficiency

the pounds of feed required per pound of live weight gain -obtained by feeding animal ind. and keeping records on amounts -technology allows for efficiency

A French restaurant is looking for small (3/4 - 1 pound) young birds to use in their featured dish, Lemon & Herb Roasted Spring Chicken.

Poussin

3 Post-weaning growth

measures growth from weaning to finished -takes place on pasture or feedlot -want high post-weaning weight

Ram breeds

meat-type primarily raised to produce rams for crossing with ewes growth rate and carcass characteristics

Goat breeds - meat vs. fiber vs. dairy

meat: spanish, boer dairy: alphine, LaMancho, Numbian, Oberhasli, Saaner, Toggenburg fiber: angora, cashmere

The data presented in figure 4.5 indicate that since 1985 the total per capita production of eggs has ________________. More specifically, we see that shell egg production has ___________________ , and egg products production has ___________________.

remained about the same decreased increased

A farmer has purchased her neighbor's 50 acres of pasture land and is trying to decide what to do with them. She has 3 choices under consideration: 1. Use the pasture for hay production to obtain a profit of $22,000. 2. Raise meat sheep and lambs on the pasture to obtain a profit $10,000. 3. Raise free range poultry on the pasture to obtain a profit of 14,000. The most profitable venture in this scenario is for the farmer to raise hay. The opportunity cost for doing so in this instance is _______________.

$14,000 opportunity cost = the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen

Agricultural Economics

-

Dairy Industry

-

Large Scale Beef Operations

-

How is US milk pricing complex?

Producers cannot set price for their milk, world market strongly influences prices

Trends in the US goat industry

-Has always been a small industry, focused mostly in Texas. -Meat goat industry grew for many years, but has leveled off in recent years. -There is some increase in dairy goat production. -Fiber industry (Angora goats) continues to decline. -Increasing use of goats for vegetation control.

Why are heifers usually priced a few cents lower than steers of similar weight?

-Heifers gain weight more slowly. -The cost per pound of gain is higher in heifers. -Some heifers are pregnant at the time of sale.

Challenges faced by Sheep/ Goat industry

-Lack of infrastructure: medicine, veterinary expertise, shearers, research$ -Low consumption/use of products -Lack of new product development -Competition from imports -Concentration of slaughter (lambs) -Lack of slaughter capacity (goats) -Predators of all shapes and sizes -Burdensome regulation - Tradition: failure to adopt new technology and/or use recommended practices - Labor

Why are larger industries taking over and able to breakeven?

-Their scale -They can purchase in bulk (saves money) -Expensive equipment is payed back quickly because of the large volumes of production

Egg Labels??

-antibiotics: ALL chickens are antibiotic free so the label is irrelevant

Laying hen housing

-cage = 6-7 hens per cage, standing on wires, egg goes on belt -enriched colony cages = 60 hens per cage, more square feet, scratching pad, privacy area, perch, egg belt -cage-free = 144 birds, different sections (feed, water, nest), movement (vertical - no behavioral issues), perch, scratching pad **might require more feed

What are the purposes of the beef industry?

-utilize feedstuff humans cannot eat (cattle are not competing with humans) -convert roughage into useful forms (grass, hay, cellulose material - usually grown on land not suitable for crops) -waste materials from agronomic crops also feed cattle

Lighting regiment for egg production from age 12-20 weeks

Young birds up to 12 weeks of age - 14 hours of natural/ electric lighting From 12 to about 20 weeks of age - 8-9 hours of natural/ electric lighting After 20-22 weeks of age (to initiate egg laying) - 16 hours of natural/ electric lighting

Which of the following is not part of an enterprise budget for an animal farming operation? a. A focused consideration of one aspect of the farming operation. b. A listing of all sources of income for an operation. c. A list of the materials, labor, and animals required for that farm. d. A description of the farming practices used on that farm. e. A cost-benefit analysis for significant changes to the farm's production practices.

a. A focused consideration of one aspect of the farming operation. This is the role of a partial budget. enterprise budget = financial management tool used to project costs and returns

Litter and manure management is important in poultry houses to keep levels of this gas (and noted respiratory irritant) low:______________.

ammonia

A dairy producer wants to start making cheese on her 100-cow Holstein farm. Which of the following management choices would diminish the quality of the milk for making high quality cheese? a. Incorporate Jersey or Brown Swiss breed genetics into her breeding program b. Keep selecting for high milk volume in her Holsteins c. Emphasize milk components (fat and protein) in her breeding program d. Actually, all of these decisions will help her to reach her goal of producing high quality cheese

b. Keep selecting for high milk volume in her Holsteins

Which of the following is a primary environmental management issue for feed yards? a. Mitigating very hot temperatures b. Mitigating very cold temperatures b. Manure management d. Internal parasite control e. All are key management concerns

b. Manure management

A poultry farmer who enters into a contract with a commercial poultry integrator should not expect... a. the integrator to provide preventative veterinary care. b. requirements for all-in, all-out flock management. c. to be required to test birds for salmonella. d. to receive compensation if birds are lost due to a hurricane. e. to make additional profits if retail poultry prices increase.

e. to make additional profits if retail poultry prices increase.

How do genetics and breeding play into beef cattle?

economic traits -nature/ environment: outside/ maternal -nurture/ genetics: performance testing (looking at herd), sire summaries (looking at offspring), EPDS heritability: degree of variation in phenotypes

Unspent profit ___________ net worth Losses from business ___________ net worth

increases decreases

What does the beef industry look like in the future?

industry in a state of flux -market share eroding, per capita consumption decreasing -chicken is #1 meat consumed (cheaper, presented as healthier, easier to cook) environmental concerns -cattle creates a carbon footprint industry consolidation and integration -industry is slow to adopt technologies -food borne illness/ safety

The function of a competitive market is...

to drive the economic return to the average farmer to breakeven

True/ False Heifers should be bred at the same time as cows.

False

True/ False aquaculture has the highest feed conversion ratio

True

Management practices for optimum weaning weight

-calves born earlier in the calving season are heavier at weaning because they are older -amount of forage available to the cow and calf affects the milk of the cow, thus affecting the calfs weaning weight -growth stimulants -supplemental feed (creep feeding) -disease control -genetic selection for milk production and calf growth rate will increase weaning weight (bull selection, EPDs) -animal identification, calf management

Large scale milk storage and transport

-cold water passes through stainless steal plates and absorbs heat from warm milk -temperature recorder -stored in large insulated steel tanks -transported on large trucks

Management practices for optimum calf crop percentages

-feed heifers adequate levels of a balanced ration to reach puberty at 15 months if they are to calve at 2 years -breed heifers early in calving season (2-3 year old for early) -heifers typically have a longer postpartum -feeding programs are designed to have cows and heifers in a moderate body condition -mature cows should be observed twice daily during calving season -first calf heifers should be observed every 4 hours

Large scale milking parlors

-heifers separated -cow level = where milking unit attached to cow -basement level = below parlor floor where the equipment is placed to reduce noise and contamination from dust

1 Reproductive performance (highest econ. impact)

-heritability of fertility is low -heritability is high for scrotal circumference and birth weight -improved through crossbreeding to obtain heterosis

Lack access to land/ capital

-increased urbanization -increased land value $$$ (there is a tax break for ag use) -decreased farm revenue couples with increased expenses (expenses has gone up, revenue has gone down)

Sheep and Goat Industry number in Maryland

-lowest livestock inventories -concentrated in Carroll, Hartford, Washington, Frederick

Sheep and Goat Industry numbers in the US

-lowest livestock inventories -lowest slaughter -importing from other countries -growing in demand: cultural- niche market -do not meet demands --> importing

Precision feeding helps dairies to...

-maintain compliance with environmental quality regulations. -decrease feeding costs. -support the heavy demands of lactation on a cow's body. -avoid over conditioning dry cows. -optimize breeding success. -promote rumen health.

Access to USDA packers

-not many UDSA certified packing facilities (needed to sell meat) causes: aging population of meat processor, limited education/ training programs, limited interest (low salary, skilled labor), limited number of consistent cattle effects: available plants close, no available trained workforce, unable to expand herds without adequate slaughter facilities

What is the structure of the Beef Industry?

-seed-stock producers: produce breeding stock -cow-calf: produce slaughter animals -yearling = add weight to light/ weaning calves -feedlot: finishing phase (600-800 lbs, 120-150 days) ***last 20 years has seen an increase in feedlot size

Small Flock/ Backyard poultry production in MD

around 5,000 registered flocks in MD most less than 20 birds

Each industry in MD

Broilers 64,192,426 Layers 2,364,942 Cattle and calves 194,524 Horses and ponies 28,662 Hogs and pigs 19,869 Sheep 19,265 Goats 10,745 Llamas and alpacas 2038

Cargill plant in Ontario that makes chicken nuggets for McDonalds needs a inexpensive but still tender sources of chicken.

Broilers for deboning

Traits chosen by genetic selection due to high heritability:

Carcass quality Feed efficiency Average daily gain

True/ False Longevity is the length of the breeding season in a breeding herd.

False

True/ False The typical cow-to-bull ratio for pasture breeding is 20:1.

False

True/ False The greatest expense on a dairy farm is labor.

False Feed is the greatest expense

Based on the most current USDA Ag Census data, sheep farming is concentrated in the mid-Atlantic and New England states.

False Sheep concentrated in Texas, California, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah etc.

True/ False Brown eggs are more nutritious for humans than white eggs.

False They are just from different breeds

True/ False the sheep/ goat industry meets the demand in the US

False low demand not even met - sales are decreasing (farming is hard) have to get creative - understand your market

True/ False A dairy farmer adds a new feed additive to the ration of his cows that increases the amount of milk these cows produce by 10%. The farmer's profits for the year increase significantly. We can conclude that as other farmers adopt this feed additive, their profits will increase significantly as well.

False Don't fall for the fallacy of composition. If other producers start adopting this new methods, supply will outpace demand leading to falling prices and reduced profitability for all dairy farmers.

The ___________ is a large area booming in the dairy industry

Midwest

Segments of US Sheep industry

Range operation -western US. fenced or unfenced range, public or private land, larger flocks, emphasis on wool production, predator issues Farm flocks -fenced pastures, emphasis on meat production, many smaller flocks Feed lots -concentrated in TX, CO, CA, sources of heavy, over-fat lambs Dairy -US is the largest importer of sheep cheese in the world, Wisconsin, Vermont Vegetation control, biomedical, hides and skins, fur

True/ False A large portion of the advances in milk production in the U.S. can be attributed to the use of artificial insemination.

True

True/ False Financial considerations are a major driver of animal husbandry decisions on commercial farms.

True

True/ false crossbreeding in commercial herds brings improvements

True -weaning weight -pounds of calf weaned per cow

True/ False Creep feeding is not always an economical choice.

True Creep feeding is a method of supplementing the diet of young livestock, primarily in beef calves, by offering feed to animals who are still nursing.

True/ False Maryland is not a huge producer of layers

True but they are a larger producer of broilers because of the breed differences

Which of the following is not a primary criterion for selecting replacement heifers in a beef herd? a. Docile temperament b. Ability to conceive early in the breeding season c. Ability to calve unassisted or with minimal intervention d. Good milk production e. Production of calves with excellent carcass traits

a. Docile temperament

Which of the following is not typical of newborn calves on a dairy farm? a. Newborn calves are left to suckle for a few days before being separated from the cows. b. As soon as a calf is born, the farmer dips the calf's navel in an iodine solution. c. Female calves are placed in individual calf houses (called hutches). d. Male calves are sold to be grown as veal or castrated and grown for beef.

a. Newborn calves are left to suckle for a few days before being separated from the cows.

Goat cheese is most likely made from the milk of which of the following species? a. Saanan b. Boer c. Angora d. Spanish e. Shropshire

a. Saanan

conditions impacting small ruminant reproduction

age: mature ewes are more fertile light, temp., humidity: less daylight increases conception, lower temp. environmental factors: disease, parasites, and insufficient feed needs to be managed - better feed lowers disease estrus synch. and AI: influence reproduction - hormones can synchronize estrus estrogen content in feeds: high content leads to low fertility

There has been considerable pressure on the broiler and layer industries by consumers and animal welfare proponents to make significant changes in the management of intensively raised poultry. Much of the resistance on the part of the poultry industry has been based on a. The breeds of chickens that would need to be used to meet these welfare standards. b. The increased costs of proposed welfare standards. c. The infeasibility of meeting the consumer-driven standards. d. The inability to produce the number of eggs or amount of meat using enhanced welfare standards.

b. The increased costs of proposed welfare standards.

If trends in consumer demand for poultry continue, we should expect a. decreased overall demand for poultry products. b. fewer whole birds being shipped from processing plants. c. a plateau in demand for chicken nuggets and other processed poultry products. d. a shift away from poultry purchases by food-service vendors towards increased sales in retail stores. e. vegetarian chicken alternatives to outperform their counterpart chicken products.

b. fewer whole birds being shipped from processing plants.

The most commonly grown animal species in the US aquaculture industry is...

catfish

Which of the following statements represents a misconception about housing and caring for broiler chickens? a. Discarded materials from other industries such as peanut hulls, sawdust, and ground corncobs can be used as litter in a broiler house. b. Young birds should be fed a moderately restricted diet to ensure that their skeletons grow in proportion to their muscles. c. Young birds should be housed in as large of a broiler house as possible to provide them with sufficient room for natural behaviors. d. Feeding birds through automated feeders is less stressful to them than having human feeders. e. An average broiler farm will have about 3 houses on it holding a total of approximately 64,000 birds at a time.

c. Young birds should be housed in as large of a broiler house as possible to provide them with sufficient room for natural behaviors.

To improve reproductive performance in a beef herd, producers should focus their efforts on a. Selecting for cows with high fertility. b. selecting for bulls with lower scrotal circumferences. c. optimizing feeding practices and monitoring cow BCS scores. d. selecting for bulls that sire high birth weigh calves. e. All of the above

c. optimizing feeding practices and monitoring cow BCS scores.

Dairy "type" refers to _________________ . Studies often indicate a _________ relationship between milk production and some type traits, such as levelness of the rump (rump angle). However, ____________________ and feet and ____________________ traits can strongly influence a cow's productive life (i.e., how long the cow remains in the herd).

conformation, weak, udder conformation, leg conformation

Which of the following is not a recommended nutrition management practice for dairy cows? a. Ensuring that forages have long average fiber sizes to promote rumen health. b. Checking automated waterers or water buckets twice daily to ensure that water is always flowing and available to the cows. c. Feeding dry cows differently (and separately) from those who are in milk. d. Offering hay, silages, concentrates, and minerals separately so that cows can select feeds to meet their nutritional needs. e. Managing cow movement, ambient temperature and humidity, and cow stress to prevent nutritional/metabolic problems.

d. Offering hay, silages, concentrates, and minerals separately so that cows can select feeds to meet their nutritional needs. -Cows are notorious for sorting through feeds to eat only what they like (sort of like toddlers selecting for only tater tots for dinner), as are a lot of species. Feeding a total mixed ration gets around this issue for the most part.

During the last 50 years in the U.S., dairy cow numbers have ____________ and total milk production has ___________. This trend is primarily due to _____________ and improved _____________________.

decreased, increased, genetic selection, management decisions

What is the purpose of a small flock?

people like the idea of getting their own eggs pet. fancy factor east to start with, good beginner livestock