What is Beef Cattle? A Complete Guide

Beef cattle are one of the most important livestock animals in the world, providing high-quality protein in the form of beef for human consumption. But what exactly are beef cattle and how are they raised? This complete guide will cover everything you need to know about beef cattle.

Definition of Beef Cattle

Beef cattle are cattle that are raised specifically for meat production. The meat from mature or nearly mature cattle is referred to as beef. Beef cattle are distinguished from dairy cattle, which are used for milk production.

There are three main stages in beef cattle production:

• Cow-calf operations – Where cows are bred and give birth to calves each year. Calves stay with their mothers until they are 6-10 months old.

• Backgrounding – Weaned calves are raised on pasture or fed a high forage diet to develop muscle and frame. Lasts 6-10 months.

• Feedlot – Cattle are fed a concentrated high energy diet to add fat and reach market weight. Lasts 4-6 months.

History of Beef Cattle Breeds

Many beef cattle breeds originated in the British Isles, including:

• Hereford – Originated in England, known for its red body and white face.

• Angus – Originated in Scotland, all black in color.

• Shorthorn – Originated in England, red, red and white, or roan in color.

• Galloway – Originated in Scotland, black and polled (naturally hornless).

Some other notable beef breeds include:

• Brahman – Originated in India, large with loose skin. Known for heat tolerance.

• Charolais – Originated in France, large framed and white in color.

• Limousin – Originated in France, muscular build with red-brown coat.

There are now hundreds of beef cattle breeds around the world, adapted to different environments and production systems.

Beef Cattle Production Systems

The three main stages of beef production include:

Cow-Calf Operations

• Cows are bred either naturally or by artificial insemination to produce a new calf each year.

• Calves remain with their mothers on pasture for 6-10 months, feeding on milk and grazing grass.

• Heifers (young females) may be retained as replacements in the breeding herd. Other calves are sold after weaning.

Backgrounding

• Weaned calves are raised on pasture or fed a high forage diet with some grain.

• The goal is to develop muscle, frame size, and weight before finishing.

• Lasts 6-10 months depending on the animal’s needs.

Feedlot Finishing

• Cattle are fed a concentrated, high energy grain-based diet.

• The goal is to add fat cover and reach a target market weight.

• Cattle are housed in outdoor pens and fed using automated systems.

• Finishing lasts 4-6 months on average.

• Once at market weight, cattle are sent to a processing facility.

Some cattle may also be grass-finished without the feedlot stage. This takes longer but follows an all-forage diet.

grazing cattle

Beef cattle are natural grazers, using their tongue to wrap around blades of grass and sever them with their teeth. Their lips, teeth, and jaw make it difficult for them to graze closer than 2 inches from the ground.

Cattle graze most efficiently when pasture is maintained at a height of 6-8 inches. This allows them to gather large mouthfuls of forage with minimal effort. If grazed below 3-4 inches, grasses become stressed and produce less regrowth.

Rotational grazing systems move cattle between pastures to prevent overgrazing. Providing optimal grazing height keeps cattle well fed and maintains pasture productivity.

Feeding Beef Cattle

The beef cattle diet changes across the different production stages:

• Calves start on milk from their mothers, then graze grass and forage.

• Backgrounding cattle eat a diet of at least 75% forage like grass, hay, or silage. Grain or supplements may be included.

• Feedlot cattle are fed a concentrated diet containing 70-90% grain, corn silage, hay, and byproducts. This high energy diet fattens cattle efficiently.

• Grass-finished cattle eat a 100% forage-based diet their whole lives after weaning.

Other key facts about beef cattle nutrition:

• Clean, fresh water must always be available.

• Vitamin and mineral supplements balance nutrient deficiencies.

• Growth-promoting implants and feed additives like ionophores may be used.

• Beef cattle consume 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter per day.

• Forage quality and nutrient balance is crucial to performance.

Handling and Housing Beef Cattle

Proper handling and housing helps keep cattle healthy and productive. Here are some key considerations:

• Cattle have a flight zone that handlers should respect when moving cattle. Calm, quiet handling prevents stress.

• Housing should provide shelter from extreme weather and allow cattle to rest comfortably.

• In feedlots, cattle are grouped in outdoor pens with ~100-300 head per pen. Shade, feed bunks, and water troughs are provided.

• Regularly cleaning pens and rotating cattle to fresh pens prevents disease buildup.

• Chutes and handling facilities allow safe restraint for vaccinations, medcial treatments, and loading.

• Low-stress handling equipment like Bud Boxes and tub systems improve cattle movement.

Following best practices for housing and handling improves cattle welfare.

Health Management in Beef Cattle

To keep cattle healthy, producers must use good management practices:

• Nutrition and housing impact disease susceptibility. Cattle with adequate nutrition and reduced stress have stronger immune systems.

• Vaccines prevent common viral and bacterial diseases like respiratory illnesses, clostridial diseases, BVD, and more.

• Antibiotics treat infections but are used judiciously to slow resistance.

• Internal and external parasites must be controlled through dewormers or pesticides.

• Biosecurity prevents disease introduction and spread. This includes quarantines, visitor protocols, and sanitation.

• Records of treatments allow monitoring of medicine use and health status.

Working closely with veterinarians to implement comprehensive health programs is key to successful beef operations.

Breeding and Reproduction in Beef Cattle

To produce a healthy calf crop each year, sound reproductive management is essential:

• Heifers are bred to calve for the first time at 24 months of age. This allows them to mature before the calf nursing demand.

• Mature cows generally calve once per year. The calving season timing varies by operation.

• Estrus synchronization and AI are often used improve genetics within the herd.

• Bulls are kept with cows in a breeding pasture at a ratio of about 1 bull to 25 cows.

• During breeding, nutrition and exercise impact conception rates and rebreeding performance.

• Pregnancy testing checks for open (non-pregnant) cows to aid rebreeding or culling decisions.

• Calving difficulty can be reduced by using calving ease sires bred to first-calf heifers.

Getting cows bred back quickly after calving is crucial for maximum productivity in beef herds.

Beef Cattle Marketing

Producers have several marketing options for selling their cattle:

• Auction Markets – Local livestock auction barns market weaned calves, stockers, feeders, and cull cattle. Buyers bid on pen lots.

• Direct Sales – Large feedlots may contract directly with cow-calf producers to purchase calves.

• Video/Internet Sales – Virtual sales provide marketing outside of local buyer attendance.

• Alliances – Cattle are marketed under a brand or alliance that specifies protocols.

• Futures and Options – Producers can hedge sales by trading futures and options contracts.

• Formula Pricing – Carcass merit may determine the price paid, based on grid pricing.

• Forward Contracting – An agreement to sell at a set price on a future delivery date.

Understanding cattle markets helps producers optimize timing and pricing.

Processing Beef Cattle

Once cattle reach market weight, they are transported to a processing plant:

• Cattle are humanely stunned then processed for harvest.

• The hide, head, feet, and internal organs are removed. The carcass is then chilled.

• After 24-48 hours of chilling, the carcass is ribbed between the 12th and 13th rib and graded by USDA graders.

• Carcasses are graded based on fat distribution and marbling. Common grades include Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner.

• Carcasses are fabricated into wholesale and retail beef cuts for sale to consumers.

• Byproducts not used for beef are used to make leather, pet food, pharmaceuticals, and other products.

• Beef aging improves tenderness – carcasses may age for 1-4 weeks before fabrication.

Processing adds value to beef cattle and allows beef to reach consumers efficiently.

Importance of the Beef Cattle Industry

The beef cattle industry provides huge economic and nutritional benefits:

• Beef cattle are the #1 agricultural commodity in many states and globally.

• In 2020, the U.S. had 94.4 million head of cattle with a live value of $66 billion. Over 27 billion pounds of beef were produced.

• The industry employs over 1.4 million people in production, processing, and supporting industries.

• Cattle utilize grasslands and forages that are unsuitable for crop production. Grazing promotes ecological health.

• Beef provides high-quality protein, nutrients like iron and zinc, and B-vitamins to human diets.

• More land exists globally that can only support grazing vs crop production. Ruminants upcycle this grass into nutritional animal protein.

The beef cattle industry will continue playing a critical role in providing food and economic activity worldwide.

Conclusion

Beef cattle are amazing animals that efficiently convert grass and other forages into nutritious, protein-rich beef. Selective breeding has produced specialized beef breeds that thrive in diverse environments. Careful management across the cow-calf, stocker, and feedlot phases produces healthy and productive cattle. The global beef cattle industry generates essential food and economic benefits. When raised sustainably, cattle can promote both human and environmental health. Though consumers may take beef for granted, ranchers work 365 days a year to nourish people across the globe.