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Beef Cattle Information by Gearld Fry For the past 40 years the American cattle producers have been encouraged to pay no attention to any form of quality food production. The words describing quality food were used regular but with no application. If an animal had 4% levels of intra muscular fat that was/is considered as quality meat with no regard to tenderness and texture which is most important in keeping beef consumption at a high level. Fact is, recognizing genetics and their functionally for both utilization of grass and quality of meat produced has been highly discouraged by the feedlots and grain industry to produce a type of cattle that needed high energy supplements for finishing for table use. With hormone implants left out of the equation for grain finishing the feedlot steers would gain 2-2.5 pounds a day. Cattle that are phonetically put together (properly built) will gain 3 plus pounds a day on grass without hormone implants. These cattle work in the pastures and feed lots. Fact is, producers can produce gourmet beef for the same energy or less than the average consumed by cattle that fill our pastures today. Recognizing those genetics and matching them at breeding time is paramount. Gearld has been known to recommend breeds that excel as GrassFed animals. British Whites, Devons and Murray Gray among the top. Over the next 5 years the borders of Brazil, Argentina, Chile and other countries that produce beef for $.20 (20 cents) a pound will become more open to global trade. It will be hard for the American producer to compete with beef produced for those low prices thanks to world trade agreements like NAFTA & CAFTA. The American consumer desires a good tender steak, burger and roast. They will not get that from the beef that is exported to America from other low input countries. The only method I know that will keep the American beef producer in business is to produce a gourmet product with the cows he has. Those producers must then band together for market strength. If they refuse to band together they will be at the mercy of the market sharks. Survival will be hard. Bull Selection & Linear Measuring The bull you select or create is the key to changing the quality of beef, performance and utilization of grass. The process of linear measuring will teach you how to recognize genetic structural correctness, volume of meat and quality traits. The bull is the most important tool in your pastures; paternal selection is the highest priority. The bull clones himself in the sons he produces so selection is critical. Bulls must be rugged. Cow Selection & Linear Measuring The cows carry the most quality genetics. Those quality genetics must be concentrated in our bulls. Selection of the cows that fill our pastures is as important as our bull. Linear measuring for selection of cows for their quality, performance and utilization of grass is as important as the bull. The cow clones herself through her daughters so selection is critical. Reproduction - Bull & Cow Production and reproduction are tied together. You can not have production without reproduction first. Masculinity and its characteristics are the first pre-requisite for high pregnancy rate in cows. Femininity and its characteristics are the first characteristics of the cow being a sustaining helpmate for our way of life and well being. Selecting For Gourmet The ability to select for gourmet beef without the use of the ultrasound or other technical equipment is a must for the cattle producer. The evaluation of bone structure, hide and its texture, hair and its quality are the window into the quality, texture and eating quality. All this is done with the eyes and hands in the pastures and practice makes for perfection. Gearld can be reached through his website. http://www.bovineengineering.com View all Gearld Fry's articles About the Author: |
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Beef Cattle Information
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