Life Sciences Commons^™

1992 Beef Cattle Report, Darrell W. Nelson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Economic efficiency of beef production to weaning and to slaughter was estimated in three groups, different in milk available (low, medium, and high) to the calves but the same in growth potential. Efficiency was the ratio of income to expenses. Income was derived from cull cows and calves at weaning or carcasses of calves fed to slaughter. Feed and non-feed expenses for the cowherd and for calves to weaning or to slaughter were included. Efficiencies were estimated assuming observed reproductive rates and energy requirements for maintenance, as well as for equal reproductive rates and equal requirements for maintenance in the …

1991 Beef Cattle Report, Darrell W. Nelson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A two-year study tested the hypothesis that growth rate interacts with bull exposure to influence age at puberty in heifers. Heifers exposed to sterile bulls and fed to achieve a high growth rate (1.8 lb/day) attained puberty 73 days earlier than heifers not exposed to bulls and fed to a moderate growth rate (1.3 lb/day). Heifers exposed to bulls and fed to achieve a moderate growth rate attained puberty at ages similar to heifers not exposed to bulls and fed to a high growth rate. Furthermore. heifers receiving these two treatments attained puberty 23 days earlier than heifers not exposed …

1987 Beef Cattle Report, Irvin T. Omtvedt

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Eighty grain samples of various moisture levels were collected throughout the 1985 harvest season and analyzed for moisture by either moisture tester, microwave oven, or forced-air oven. The moisture tester was not as accurate as the forced-air oven when moisture level exceeded 19%. Microwave drying was as accurate as forced-air oven drying but was more variable between readings of the same sample.

1982 Beef Cattle Report, Roy G. Arnold

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A four-phase maximum forage system was evaluated in two trials over a two-year period. The fot:,r phases included: 1) cornstalk grazing (56 days), 2) stalklage feeding (121 days), 3) pasture grazing (112 days), and 4) finishing (96 days). In phase 1, weanling heifers gained about 1 lb per day grazing cornstalks, when supplemented with 2 lb of a 32 percent natural protein supplement. Adding monensin to the supplement resulted in an increase of. l lb in average daily gain (ADG). In phase 2, when heifers were fed stalklage twice weekly on winter pasture (trial 1), ADG and feed intake of …

1980 Beef Cattle Report, Leo E. Lucas

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Weighing steers three consecutive days at the beginning and end of the trial reduced variation and increased the probability of detecting a difference in daily gain and gain/protein ratios between treatments when compared to a standard weighing method (once at the beginning and once at the end of the trial). Regressing 1 initial, 1 final and 11 weekly weights also decreased variation and increased the probability of detecting treatment differences compared to the standard method, but was more variable than using three weights at the beginning and end of the trial.

Young, growing steers and lambs supplemented with natural protein …

1978 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, Leo E. Lucas, H. W. Ottoson, T. E. Hartung

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Retail value of wholesale meat cuts is influenced by quality and the proportion of lean, fat and bone. Wholesale cuts vary widely in value; for example, loins and ribs sell for more than rounds, rounds more than chucks, and chucks more than flanks, plates, or briskets. This value difference has prompted many attempts to find breeding and feeding systems that will increase the proportion of high-priced cuts.

Results shown here characterize the composition of carcass wholesale cuts from 14 breed combinations that were part of a cattle germ plasm evaluation program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, …

1970 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, J. L. Adams, E. F. Frolik, H. W. Ottoson, F. E. Eldridge

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The use of high concentrate rations in finishing cattle has led to a rather high loss of livers due to abscesses.

The 1967 Statistical Summary of the Federal Meat Inspection Service of the USDA indicated the total number of cattle inspected was 27,859,980. Of these, 9.6% were condemned because of liver abscess. Considering the value of a liver to be about $3, the estimated loss to the industry because of condemnatIon due to abscess would be over $8 million annually.

The incidence of liver abscesses increases as the roughage level in a finishing ration decreases below 5% (Table I). The …

1967 Beef Cattle Progress Report Of Research Activities, E. F. Frolik, H. W. Ottoson, J. L. Adams

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Oral feeding of stilbestrol or implanting with stilbestrol or Synovex has resulted in increased weight gain and efficiency of gain for cattle fed finishing rations.

Combining oral feeding or stilbestrol with implanting did not give increased performance above that obtained from oral stilbestrol alone in two tests. Implanting cattle fed oral stilbestrol at the start of the feeding program with either stilbestrol or Synovex gave a similar pattern of performance to that obtained from oral stilbestrol alone.

1966 Beef Cattle Progress Report Of Research Activities, E. F. Frolik, H. H. Kramer

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Many beef cattle breeders in the United States and other countries are following the progress of the selection experiment at the Fort Robinson Beef Cattle Research Station, Crawford, Nebraska. Three lines of Hereford cattle from the same genetic foundation are under selection. Line 21 is selected for 200-day weight. Line 22 is selected for yearling weight. Line 23 is selected for an index combining yearling weight and a score for muscling and fat thickness.

Each line is operated as a closed herd so it will be possible to determine how much improvement in economic traits can be made by selecting …

1965 Beef Cattle Progress Report Of Research Activities, E. F. Frolik, H. H. Kramer

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Beef carcass evaluation work is designed to obtain production and carcass data on bulls, steers and heifers. One objective is to evaluate sex effects on growth and carcass traits. Another is to determine if sires rank the same in growth and carcass traits on their bull, steer and heifer progeny.

Preliminary results from the 1963 slaughter groups were reported in the 1964 Beef Cattle Progress Report. This report covers averages of 1963 and 1964 results. Results both years were similar.

Beef Cattle Progress Report, E. F. Frolik, H. H. Kramer

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Efficiency of sugar beet farming can be improved by feeding beet top silage to livestock.

In two recent trials at the Scotts Bluff Experiment Station lambs fed unwilted beet top silage as the only roughage gained significantly faster than lambs fed corn silage.

Amounts of concentrates were comparable (Nebraska Experiment Station Quarterly, Fall, 1962).

This experiment compared the feeding value of a complete mixture of unwilted beet tops and concentrate added at the time of ensiling, with beet top silage and concentrate handled separately. A conventional corn silage and concentrate ration was used as a control.

Results showed that a …

Beef Cattle Progress Report, E. F. Frolik, H. H. Kramer

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Shipping fever is a respiratory disease "complex" of cattle. The disease causes extensive economic losses from death, loss of physical condition, inefficient feed utilization and treatment expense. The annual loss from this disease in the United States has been estimated to be $25,000,000.

In many respects shipping fever is similar to respiratory diseases of humans. It may occur in any season of the year, but is most common in the fall and early winter. Although any age animal may be infected recently weaned calves and feeder cattle which have just been moved from the range to feedlot are most susceptible.

50th Annual Feeders Day Progress Report, C. H. Adams, Guy N. Baker, Kemal Biyikoglu, D. C. Clanton, A. D. Flowerday, K. E. Gregory, Lionel Harris, J. E. Ingalls, R. M. Koch, J. K. Matsushima, M. W. Mccullough, J. A. Rothlisberger, W. W. Rowden, L. A. Swiger, Walter Tolman, D. R. Zimmerman

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Feeding pastured calves protein supplements weekly instead of daily during the winter made little difference in either winter or summer gains, according to research results to date.

Two sources of protein were used in the trial. (I) Second cutting alfalfa hay was fed at the rate of four pounds per head daily. One group of calves was fed four pounds per head daily and one group was fed 28 pounds per head once each week. (2) Forty percent protein, pellets or cake, was fed at the rate of one pound per head daily. One group was fed one pound per …

49th Annual Feeders Day Progress Report: Improving Beef Production Through Nutrition And Management, E. F. Frolik, A. W. Epp

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The science of nutrition has come into its own in the last few years. Greater recognition of the value of protein, the identification of new nutrients and the awareness of the importance of nutrition to health have been part of this trend.

In this new era in nutrition, beef has been found to be one of our most nutritious foods. Not only does it contain a generous amount of protein, but its protein is of high quality, too. In addition, beef supplies important minerals such as iron and phosphorus, which contribute to healthy blood and sturdy bones. The essential B …

48th Annual Feeders Day Progress Report: Improving Beef Production Through Nutrition And Management, W. V. Lamber, E. F. Frolik

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

As we start a new decade it is appropriate to ponder for a moment on where we have been and where we go from here.

The past ten years have seen significant changes in all phases of animal agriculture. Probably the most spectacular changes came in the area of nutrition. During the past ten years significant advances were made in our knowledge on mineral and vitamin nutrition. Additional facts on the old problem of the ratio of concentrates to roughage have been added. Ways of supplementing poor quality roughage to obtain optimum production were learned.