Beef Cattle Production: Systems, Stages, and Indicators
Beef Cattle Production and Global Markets
Introduction
Veterinary expertise in beef cattle production is crucial due to its significant business potential. Globally, beef cattle numbers have fluctuated. While countries like Argentina (54 million), Uruguay (20 million), and Brazil (150 million) boast large herds, Chile’s cattle population has decreased to approximately 3.7 million in the 2007 census.
Chile’s meat production reveals a dominance of poultry (570,000 tons) and pork (480,000 tons) over beef (241,000 tons). Consequently, Chile imports approximately 60% of its consumed beef from Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, and more recently, Australia and the United States. Although the livestock sector contributes less to exports than copper or agriculture, beef imports significantly impact Chile’s trade balance.
Chile’s adherence to disease-free protocols allows access to high-value markets like Europe and North America. The European Union’s declining beef exports and increasing imports present an opportunity for Chile to export high-quality beef.
Chile’s free trade agreements with countries representing 68% of the global GDP further expand its potential market. This international focus is crucial for the future of Chilean beef production.
Production System Elements
Analyzing beef production systems involves considering several key elements:
- Fodder Distribution and Supply: The type, distribution, and availability of forage significantly influence the chosen production system (breeding, raising, or growing).
- Forage Quantity: The amount of available food dictates the number of animals sustainable over a given period.
- Forage Quality: Forage quality impacts growth rate, fattening speed, and average daily gain.
- Critical Periods: Strategic supplementation is essential during challenging periods.
Types of Livestock Production Systems
Three primary livestock production systems exist:
- Extensive Systems: Animals graze freely, seeking their own food, water, and shelter with minimal human intervention.
- Intensive Systems: Humans provide all necessary inputs, including food, water, and shelter, within a confined area.
- Mixed Systems: Combine elements of both extensive and intensive systems, allowing grazing for part of the day and providing supplemental feed in a confined area.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Extensive systems offer lower overall energy expenditure and produce “natural” beef preferred by some markets. However, they support fewer animals per hectare, impacting land use efficiency.
Intensive systems allow for higher stocking rates and more efficient land use. However, they require higher energy input for food production and transport.
Key Production Indicators
- Birth Weight: Indicates calf health and potential for growth. Excessive birth weight can lead to dystocia.
- Body Condition Score: Assesses the degree of fatness in animals, ideally ranging from 2.5 to 7 on different scales.
- Dry Matter Intake: Measures the amount of dry matter consumed, typically 2-3% of body weight.
- Nutritional Requirements: Include energy (calories, megacalories), protein, total digestible nutrients (NDT), and dry matter.
- Water Consumption: Ranges from 15 to 100 liters per day, depending on weight and temperature.
- Average Daily Gain (ADG): A crucial indicator of growth in fattening systems.
- Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR): Measures the amount of feed needed to produce a kilogram of meat (around 7 kg for cattle).
- Fat Cover: Ideally 1-2 cm thick on the back for optimal market price.
- Carcass Yield: The ratio of carcass weight to live weight, typically 50-60% for cattle.
- Stocking Rate: The number of animals a given area of land can support for a specific time.
Cattle Classification
Cattle are classified based on age, sex, and reproductive status. Key classifications include:
- Bull: Uncastrated male over 20 months with permanent incisors.
- Bullock: Uncastrated male between 10 and 20 months.
- Steer: Castrated male.
- Ox: Castrated male used for work.
- Heifer: Female that has calved, between 10 and 30 months.
- Cow: Female that has calved, over 30 months.
Legal classifications (V, C, U, N, O) are based on the eruption of permanent incisors, impacting market price.
Stages of Beef Production
Cow-Calf Stage
This stage encompasses breeding, gestation, calving, and calf rearing until weaning (6-8 months). Pasture is crucial, and the goal is one calf per cow per year. Concentrating births to align with peak pasture production minimizes supplementation costs.
Re-Farming Stage
An intermediate stage between weaning and fattening, typically managed by either the cow-calf producer or a specialized grower. Calves are raised until they reach approximately 100 kg below their target slaughter weight.
Fattening Stage
This stage involves intensive feeding to achieve optimal slaughter weight. Fattening can occur on pasture or in feedlots. Key indicators include ADG, which should be monitored for decline, signaling the end of the fattening period.
Factors influencing fattening include muscle growth, fat accumulation, and breed-specific optimal slaughter weights. Market prices favor muscle over fat, making careful management crucial.
Cattle Breeds
Various cattle breeds are categorized as British, Continental, Zebu, and African. Popular breeds include Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Blonde d’Aquitaine, Charolaise, Limousine, Simmental, and Brahman.
Breed selection depends on factors such as climate, disease resistance, and desired meat quality characteristics.
Water buffalo, while not cattle, are gaining traction in some regions due to their high meat and milk production.