Table Of ContentPergamon publications of related interest
BUCKETT
Introduction to Livestock Husbandry, 2nd Edition
CHRISTIE
Lipid Metabolism in Ruminant Animals
GORDON
Controlled Breeding in Farm Animals
LAWRIE
Meat Science, 3rd Edition
LOWE
Milking Machines
NELSON
An Introduction to Feeding Farm Livestock, 2nd Edition
PARKER
Health and Disease in Farm Animals, 3rd Edition
Intensive Beef Production
SECOND EDITION
BY
T. R. PRESTON
Ph.D.(Dunelm), D.Sc.(Newcastle)
Technical Adviser and Director of Research,
'Proyecto Nutricional Ganadero*
Comision Nacional de la Industna Azucarera,
Humboldt No. 56-ler. piso,
Mexico I, D.F.
AND
M. B. WILLIS
B.Sc.(Dunelm), Ph.D.(Edin.)
Department of Agriculture,
The University,
Newcastle-upon- Tyne,
England
PERGAMON PRESS
OXFORD ' NEW YORK · TORONTO
SYDNEY PARIS · FRANKFURT
U.K. Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall,
Oxford OX3 0BW, England
U.S.A. Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park,
Elmsford, New York 10523, U.S.A.
CANADA Pergamon Press Canada Ltd., Suite 104,
150 Consumers Rd., Willowdale, Ontario M2J 1P9, Canada
AUSTRALIA Pergamon Press (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 544,
Potts Point, N.S.W. 2011, Australia
FRANCE Pergamon Press SARL, 24 rue des Ecoles,
75240 Paris, Cedex 05, France
FEDERAL REPUBLIC Pergamon Press GmbH, 6242 Kronberg-Taunus,
OF GERMANY Hammerweg 6, Federal Republic of Germany
Copyright © 1974 T. R. Preston and M. B. Willis
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means: electronic, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
First edition 1970
Second edition 1974
Reprinted 1975, 1979, 1982
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Preston, Thomas Reginald.
Intensive beef production,
1. Beef cattle. I. Willis, Malcolm Beverley,
joint author. II. Title.
SF207.P78 1974 636.2T3 74-5276
ISBN 0-08-017788-3 (Hardcover)
ISBN 0-08-018980-6 (Flexicover)
Printed in Great Britain by A. Wheaton & Co. Ltd., Exeter
List of Illustrations
1.1 Index numbers of world average export unit values for food and feed, cereals and meat,
1955-67 13
1.2 World average export unit values for meat, 1955-67 14
1.3 Index numbers of world average export unit values for different meats, 1955-67 15
1.4 Trends of producer and wholesale beef prices in selected countries 16
2.1 Dressing percentage compared with empty body weight 34
2.2 The pan traité cut according to Le Guelte et al. (1964) 36
2.3 New Zealand version of the pan traité 37
2.4 The pistola style of cutting 38
2.5 Method of cutting for the UK market 39
2.6 Method of cutting for the US market 40
2.7 Percentage weight increase of "standard muscle groups" with increase in age 41
2.8 Weights of some muscle groups in steers of different fatness 42
2.9 Weights of some muscle groups in starved and realimentated animals 43
2.10 Weights of some muscle groups in steers of different breeds 43
2.11 Relation of edible meat yield with (a) cold carcass weight, and (b) weight of biceps
femoris muscle 56
2.12 Tenderness and pH 73
2.13 Juiciness and pH 76
2.14 Chemical components contributing to flavour in meat 78
2.15 Meat flavour and pH 80
5.1 Utilization of ME for maintenance, lactation and fattening 194
5.2 Regulation of feed intake in ruminants 202
6.1 Milk yields of Charolais, Angus and Hereford breeds 237
6.2 Influence of month of birth on weight at weaning of creep-fed and non-creep-fed calves 240
7.1 Calf mortality and time of year 263
7.2 Mortality according to type of milk diet throughout the course of an experiment 264
7.3 Milk requirements of calves for different rates of gain 268
9.1 DM intake as a function of live weight in intensive dairy beef steers 306
9.2 DM intake as a function of live weight in beef steers fed moderately to 250 kg live weight
and then intensively 307
9.2a Effect of forage content of a molasses-based diet 329
9.2b Effect of replacing urea N with fish meal N on growth rate and feed conversion 332
9.2c Effect of yeast protein 333
9.2d Effect of supplementary maize grain 336
9.2e Effect of adding increasing amounts of maize germ meal 336
9.3 Relation between daily live weight gain and protein consumed 356
9.4 Relation between daily live weight gain and protein/energy ratio 357
9.5 Effect of amount of urea fed daily on rate of live weight gain 361
9.6 Effect of amount of urea fed daily on feed conversion rate 362
9.7 Effect of supplementary vitamin A on daily live weight gain 373
10.1 Distribution of climate 387
1 Appendix I. Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling 542
xv
List of Plates
Plates 1-15 between pages 264-265
Plates 1 and 2 The interior of two "barley-beef" units in Scotland
Plate 3 A recently completed "barley-beef" unit
Plate 4 Intensive beef unit in Cuba
Plate 5 A typical US feedlot in Arizona
Plate 6 An intensive fattening unit in Cuba
Plates 7 and 8 Intensive beef production on molasses/urea
Plates 9 and 10 Molasses/urea tanker recharging the feeding troughs
Plate 11 Examples of "complete" early-weaning diets for dairy-beef calves
Plate 12 "Complete" fattening diets for barley-beef cattle
Plate 13 Rumenitis in barley-beef cattle
Plate 14 One of five performance test buildings in Cuba
Plate 15 A Charolais bull
xvii
List of Tables
1.1 Cattle numbers 1965/6 and beef, veal and buffalo meat production in 1966 6
1.2 Shares of different meats in world production 7
1.3 World exports of meat and live animals 10
1.4 Beef and cattle trade of selected countries 11
1.5 Labour productivity in livestock production—US 17
1.6 Feed unit equivalent—different livestock 17
1.7 Beef and feed grain prices 18
1.8 Income elasticities for meat, annual meat consumption and income 20
1.9 Retail meat values—UK, US, and West Germany 22
1.10 Meat consumption—US 22
1.11 Meat consumption in selected European countries 23
1.12 Retail prices for first-quality beef cuts—UK 24
1.13 Retail prices for selected cuts—US 25
1.14 Projections of beef and veal production and demand in selected countries 26
2.1 Carcass weight in relation to prices of first quality beef—UK 31
2.2 Diet and contents of the alimentary tract of calves 32
2.3 Relationship between live weight and dressing percentage 33
2.4 Relative growth of muscle groups 40
2.5 Changes in muscle distribution with age 41
2.6 "Standard muscle groups" as a percentage of total muscle in steers 44
2.7 Effect of sex on carcass composition 46
2.8 Carcass characteristics according to breed of sire 48
2.9 Effect of breed on fatness 48
2.10 Effect of carcass weight upon edible meat yield 51
2.11 Effect of live weight on edible meat yield 52
2.12 Effect of fatness (grade) on edible meat yield 52
2.13 Effect of sex on edible meat yield 53
2.14 Effect of sex on edible meat and excess fat 54
2.15 Effect of breed on edible meat 56
2.16 Effect of breed on edible meat content of bull carcasses 58
2.17 Collagen solubilized by heating, as related to age 64
2.18 Correlations between tenderness and fatness 66
2.19 Correlations between fatness and tenderness and juiciness 67
2.20 Effect of sex on tenderness score 69
2.21 Effect of breed on tenderness 70
2.22 Effect of breed on panel tenderness 71
2.23 Effect of Bos indicus "blood" on tenderness 72
2.24 Temperament and tenderness 74
2.25 Juiciness and other carcass traits 75
2.26 Effect of age and fatness on juiciness 76
2.27 Flavour and other carcass traits 80
2.28 Carcass grade and various carcass traits 83
2.29 Eye-muscle area and carcass traits 87
2.30 Longissimus dorsi area and live weight 89
xix
XX LIST OF TABLES
2.31 Trimmed boneless round and edible meat 90
2.32 Muscle groups and total weights of muscle in the right half of the carcass 92
2.33 Percentage lean, fat and bone in the left side with carcass grade, yield grade and fat-
thickness 93
2.34 Fat-thickness over eye muscle and various carcass traits 93
2.35 Percentage kidney fat and various carcass parameters 95
2.36 Percentage excess fat and carcass traits 96
2.37 Percentage bone and various carcass traits 96
2.38 Specific gravity and various carcass traits 98
2.39 Carcass weight and major traits of the carcass 99
2.40 Warner-Bratzler shear values and taste panel scores 101
3.1 Selection differential and various intensities of selection 106
3.2 Heritability of reproductive traits 109
3.3 Heritability of birth weight 109
3.4 Heritability of pre-weaning growth rate 111
3.5 Heritability of weaning weight 112
3.6 Heritability of average daily gain in feedlot 113
3.7 Heritability of final weight after performance test 115
3.8 Heritability of feed intake and conversion during performance test 116
3.9 Heritability of measurements of carcass fatness 117
3.10 Heritability of measurements of meat and bone yield 118
3.11 Heritability of carcass "quality" factors 119
3.12 Heritability of type score and grade 119
3.13 Heritability of body measurements 121
3.14 Correlations of pre-weaning gain and other traits 122
3.15 Correlations of weaning weight with other traits 123
3.16 Correlations of test gain with other traits 124
3.17 Correlation of feed conversion on test with other traits 126
3.18 Correlations between performance and carcass traits 127
3.19 Correlations among carcass traits 128
3.20 Correlation of live animal scores or grades with production traits 130
3.21 Performance testing and conformation 141
3.22 Factors influencing sale price of performance-tested Angus and Hereford bulls in Virginia 141
3.23 Progeny test results 146
3.24 Heterosis in gestation length 153
3.25 Heterosis in calf crop 153
3.26 Heterosis in liveability 154
3.27 Heterosis in birth weight 156
3.28 Heterosis in pre-weaning daily gain 157
3.29 Heterosis in weaning weight 158
3.30 Heterosis in weight for age at slaughter 159
3.31 Heterosis in feed intake and feed conversion 160
3.32 Heterosis in edible meat and longissimus dorsi area 161
4.1 Brahman and Brown Swiss X Brahman in different environments 171
6.1 Effect of breed on age and weight at puberty 21.1
6.2 Effect of breed and ambient temperature on age and weight at puberty in Missouri 212
6.3 Effect of breed on calving rate 214
6.4 Effect of breed on calving interval 215
6.5 Effect of age and lactation status on calving rate 215
6.6 Effect of post-partum energy level on fertility 217
6.7 Effect of energy level, pre- and post-calving on reproductive performance 217
6.8 Effect of change in body weight on fertility of dairy cows 218
6.9 Effect of vitamin injections on conception rate 219
6.10 Effect of breed and sex on gestation length 221
6.11 Hormone synchronization of oestrus and fertility 225
6.12 Effect of breed and sex on birth weight 229
LIST OF TABLES XXI
6.13 Factors contributing to variation in birth weight 230
6.14 Effect of dam nutrition on birth weight of calves from heifers 231
6.15 Effect of breed and sex on weaning weight 233
6.16 Effect of age of calf on weaning weight 234
6.17 Effect of sex of calf and age of dam on weaning weight 234
6.18 Correlations between milk production and weaning weight 238
6.19 Effect of creep feeding and restricted feeding of the dam on live weight changes in the
cow and calf 241
6.20 Effect of type of creep feed on weight changes of dam and calf performance 242
6.21 Effect of creep feeding on calf gains 243
6.22 Effect of breed on calf mortality 246
6.23 Effect of age on calving difficulties 247
6.24 Crude protein and ME required to maintain weight in beef cows 251
7.1 Composition of the national herd (England and Wales) 258
7.2A Inseminations in Great Britain according to breed 258
7.2B First inseminations in UK: bulls used according to breed of cow, 1967-8 259
7.3 Breed makeup of calves sold for rearing in the UK 260
7.4 Mortality in dairy herds 262
7.5 Performance of calves in relation to degree of heat treatment of the milk 266
7.6 Effect of protein/energy ratio in high-energy diets on the performance of calves 275
7.7 Mineral and vitamin requirement of early weaned calves 276
7.8 Effect of antibiotics on growth and feed conversion in the early weaned calf 277
8.1 Performance of different pure breeds 284
8.2 Performance of different crossbreeds 285
8.3 Effect of sex on growth and feed conversion 287
8.4 Effect of diethylstilboestrol on daily gain of steers 290
8.5 Effect of diethylstilboestrol on feed conversion in steers 293
8.6 Effect of hexoestrol on gain and feed conversion in steers 294
8.7 Effect of hormones other than DES or hexoestrol on steer performance 295
8.8 Effect of reimplantation with diethylstilboestrol on growth and performance of Hereford
steers 297
8.9 Effect of diethylstilboestrol on growth and feed conversion in heifers 301
8.10 Effect of melengestrol acetate on growth and feed conversion in heifers 302
8.11 Effect of diethylstilboestrol on growth and feed conversion in bulls 303
8.12 Effect of different DES implants on growth of Israeli Friesian bulls 304
9.1 Energy intake and efficiency in different species 305
9.2 Effects of periods of undernutrition on lifetime performance 311
9.3 Effect of concentrate/roughage ratio on growth and feed conversion 312
9.4 Performance of steers given all concentrate diets without added roughage 315
9.5 Effect of adding roughage to all-concentrate diets on growth and feed conversion 318
9.6 Beet pulp in all-concentrate diets 322
9.7 By-products for animal feeding 323
9.8 Derinding of sugar cane 324
9.9 Average values (and range) for composition of derinded cane stalk 324
9.10 Yields of total digestible nutrients from carbohydrates 325
9.11 Composition data for final molasses 326
9.12 Mineral composition of molasses 327
9.12A Performance of Zebu bulls given ad libitum molasses with 3% urea and either ground
sorghum grain or freshly-cut elephant grass 328
9.12B Performance of Zebu bulls given ad libitum molasses with 3% urea and either ad libitum
or restricted maize forage 329
9.12c Effect of artificial roughage 330
9.1 2D Effect of type of roughage 331
9.12E Rapeseed meal as a supplement to molasses-urea diets 333
9.12F Effect of programming the protein supplement supply 334
9.12G Molar composition of the VFA in rumen liquor 335
XX11 LIST OF TABLES
9. 12H Effect on rumen fermentation of substituting maize with molasses 335
9.12i Input-output data (January to June inclusive) for fattening bulls on molasses-based
(1970 and 1971) compared with forage-based (1969) diets 337
9.12j Input-output data for fattening bulls given ad libitum molasses-urea and restricted
grazing and fish meal supplementation 338
9.12K Derinded sugar cane as the basis for intensive feeding 339
9.12L Effect of added (1% of LW) maize or final molasses 340
9. 12ML Effect of the type of protein supplement 340
9.12N Effect of ensiling derinded whole sugar cane 341
9.12o Input-output data for fattening Holstein steers given diets based on derinded whole
sugar cane 341
9.13 Effect of dietary fat on growth and feed conversion 343
9.14 Effect of various processing methods compared with coarse grinding upon growth and
feed conversion - 344
9.15 Effect of pelleting complete diets with different concentrate/roughage ratios 345
9.16 Effect of pelleting or grinding the concentrate or roughage portion of the diet 346
9.17 Effect of steam processing of cereal grains on growth and feed conversion 347
9.18 Effect of steam-processing grain on feed conversion in a commercial feedlot in Arizona 348
9.19 Effect of pressure-cooking grains on growth and feed conversion 349
9.20 Ensiled high-moisture grain versus dry grain on growth and feed conversion 350
9.21 Effect of protein level on performance of steers given high-energy diets 355
9.22 Re-evaluation of data regarding actual protein fed and recommended allowances 358
9.23 Recommended protein (N X 6.25) allowances for fattening cattle 359
9.24 Effect of replacing protein with urea on daily gain and feed conversion 363
9.25 Mineral requirements of fattening cattle 366
9.26 Effect of supplementary vitamin A on growth and feed conversion 372
9.27 Vitamin requirements of fattening cattle 374
9.28 Effect of vitamin E on growth of fattening cattle 376
9.29 Effect of antibiotics on growth and feed conversion 379
9.30 Effect of tranquillizers on growth and feed conversion 382
9.31 Effect of dietary buffers on the performance of cattle fed all-concentrate diets 384
11.1 Cattle ticks and the diseases they transmit or produce 401
11.2 Incidence of liver abscesses and antibiotic effects 409
12.1 Feedlots in the US in 1962 and 1967 439
12.2 Some production parameters and profitability in dairy beef enterprises in the North of
Scotland 442
Appendix I
1.1 Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling: effects on calf growth rate 540
1.2 Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling: effects on milk yield of their dams 540
1.3 Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling: effect on incidence of mastitis 541
1.4 Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling: effect of suckling frequency on calf growth
rate 541
1.5 Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling: effect of the interval between milking and
suckling on cow milk yield and calf growth 542
1.6 Rearing dairy calves by restricted suckling: twice a day milking and suckling versus a
simplified procedure of milking once daily in the afternoon 543
Acknowledgements
THE authors are grateful to Sra Lidia Gonzalez for typing the draft manuscript and
for assistance in compiling the index and to Srta Marta Fernandez for typing the
final version. We also wish to thank Mrs. Joanne Preston for typing all the tables and
many of the references, for preparing several of the figures, and for assistance in
proof-reading and the compilation of the index.
We wish to acknowledge the editors of the Journal of Animal Science, the Journal of
Dairy Science, Animal Production Revista cubana Ciencia agricola, Proceedings of the Technical
Melbourne Conference on Carcass Composition and Appraisal of Meat Animals, and the
Farmers Weekly for permission to reproduce published material.
We are grateful to Mr. G. B. Hagelberg of the Institut für Wirtschaftsgeschichte,
Deutsche Académie der Wissenschaften, Berlin, for contributing Chapter 1 and for
his helpful suggestions regarding Chapter 12.
Preface to the Second Edition
EXTENSIVE revisions have been made to the sections of the book on calf rearing (Ch.
7, Rearing by suckling) and sugar cane (Ch. 9, 9.3.3, Sugar cane), in view of
important recent developments in these subjects which have taken place since the
original versions were written.
T. R. PRESTON
M. B. WILLIS
xxm
