Environmental impacts
Identify and explain the environmental impact of intensive beef production?
Increased GHG emissions - methane is due to enteric fermentation and anaerobically stored in manure, Nitrous oxide is associated with emission from soil that has been fertilized with manure
soil/water quality - related to manure runoff from livestock facilities = major concern is nitrates and phosphorus
Air quality - NH3, Particulate matter emissions, volatile organic compounds
Concern to human health - Air, water, and soil quality can all affect humans
Define the main principles that guide the design of beef of beef cattle feedlots and handling facilities
Safety
Reduction of handling time and operator requirement
They should do what we want them to do
Maximize animal health
Maximize animal welfare
Describe the factors that impacts cattle health and performance after arrival at the feedlot?
Stress, being off feed, being introduced to other cattle, whether they are pre vaccinated, if they have been preconditioned
Explain the objectives of a step-up program?
Minimize digestive disturbances
Allow rumen microbes to adjust to starch in the diet
Allow rumen epithelium to adapt
Minimizes feed intake fluctuations
Be able to characterize and describe normal ruminal conditions and carbohydrate fermentation?
Usually temp is about 38-41, and pH range is 5.5-6.9
Lots of CO2, CH4, and N
Summarize the regulations and regulatory oversight in place?
Have adequate waste storage and waste management plans to protect water resources
Require some operations to receive approval
Describe the components of beef cattle feedlots and handling facilities?
Water system
Waste handling and drainage
cattle handling areas
hospital area
staff area
Propose strategies to improve health and performance of newly received cattle?
As soon as they arrive give them access to feed, water, rest
Try to buy from sellers that have preconditioned their calves
Provide hay by the watering bowl, or food they would be familiar with to try and get them to eat as soon as possible
Explain the microbial and animal adaptations occurring when transitioning cattle to high grain diets?
Shifts ruminal fermentation
Greater total SCFA production - greater propionate, risk for lactate production
Adapts rumen papillae, SCFA absorption and rumen buffering
Be able to describe how ruminal pH is regulated?
fermentation acid production in the rumen is combated by buffering by saliva and feed, along with absorption, and passage from the rumen
Propose strategies to mitigate the environmental impacts of intensive beef production?
Increase cattle production efficiency
Promote health
Improve weight gain to reduce GHG per unity of beef produced
Improve fertility, pregnancy rate, and successful deliveries
Describe the difference among the different beef cattle feedlots and handling facilities and identify the pros and cons?
Open feedlot pen = good for western Canada, uses fly ash to help reduce dust, reduce cost, and makes feedlots easier to clean and recover manure. - animals are exposed to the elements
Feedlot pen with shed = western Canada, Some concrete some earthen ground - can cost more, but animals can escape the elements
Roofed feedlots = found in eastern Canada, allow warm moist air to rise and escape the building, - can have more animals if using slatted floors, (good for high humidity or rainy areas - less mud)
Explain how calves risk categories are assigned?
Moderate risk
Low risk
related to the time in transit from their origin, their quantity of stress they have encountered, their age, and the probability they will develop BRD
Describe the different step-up feeding programs used?
Backgrounding = 3-4 diets
Finishing = 6-8 diets
You can do a traditional step-up where you take 11 days to adjust from ration 1-2, and then take another 10 days to adjust from ration 2-3.
Or you can do accelerated where you take 6 days to go from ration 1-2, and another 4 days to go from 2-3
there is also two ration blending, where you slowly increase the % of one diet, and decrease the % of the other diet
Describe etiology of ruminal acidosis and propose strategies that could be used to reduce risk?
It happens due to an over production of lactic acid
Increased VFA production, Excess grain in the diet, insufficient dietary course fibers, insufficient rumen buffering
Allow animals to adjust to feed, Have proper bunk management, Make sure you feed at the same time each day
Advise producers how to best design and manage their operations to minimize the environmental impact?
Using implants to speed up growth in order to decrease overall effects
Be conscious of how far waterbodies are from your operation
Be mindful of what you put on your land for fertilizers/manure
Explain What parameters are important in a well designed feed bunk?
Durable, Easy to fill, easy to clean, prevents feed loss
Placed North to south
Adjustable neck rail
Have a concrete pad
Define preconditioning and explain its impacts on newly received calves on the feedlot?
Is preparing calves ahead of time for the feedlot to try and reduce stress and sickness. This is done by vaccinating 3 weeks prior to marketing, calves are at least 4 months of age, Castrating or dehorning, Treating for parasites, Weaning 45 days minimum and calves having experience eating from a bunk
It can improve rate of gain and reduce treatment
Design a step-up feeding program for feedlot cattle?
This is open to interpretation, idk if there is a wrong answer
Explain the linkage of ruminal acidosis to other disorders: Bloat, liver abscesses, laminitis
Liver abscesses - due to deterioration of ruminal wall, bacteria invading systemic circulation
Bloat = mucopolysaccharide production
laminitis = lower pH which increases histamine and endotoxins, this causes a translocation and systemic inflammation
What are the two overriding principles?
Ground water protection, and surface water protections
Evaluate and criticize beef cattle feedlots and handling facilities and propose improvements?
idk this depends on what the feed has, and what chute system it uses, etc.
Open for interpretation
Discuss the importance of proper bunk management on health and performance of feedlot cattle
Routine is important for keeping acidosis down
Feeding to much is waster, feeding to little can cause them to not gain at the rate at which is needed
steady intake = sustained growth
Discuss differences between calves and yearlings adaptations?
Yearlings are not likely to be highly stressed, are not at high risk to develop BRD, Are likely to take to the bunk and diet, can be moved quicker to start diet
What % of beef exported goes to the USA?
70%