Cattle

Front 1

What kind of digestion to Cattle have?

Back 1

They are ruminants

Specialized system of digestion that involves the microbial fermentation of food in a large fermentation vat, also known as the reticulorumen. This is done prior to the exposure of the food to the bodies digestive enzymes in the true stomach (the abomasum).

This process allows cattle and other ruminants to digest fibrous plant material that other species can not.

Front 2

Rumination

Back 2

"Chewing the Cud"

Fibrous food material broken down.

The animal chews and regurgitates boluses of food 40-50 times before being swallowed again.

Front 3

Time spent lying out at pasture?

Back 3

Cows spend 12-14 hours a day lying down at pasture

Front 4

Time spent ruminating?

Back 4

7 hours a day:

5.5 hours lying down ruminating, 1.5 hours standing and ruminating

Cow must make approximately 50,000 chewing movements per day

Front 5

How many litres of saliva produces a day?

Back 5

The rumen conditions must be optimal for fermentation. This means that 100-150 litres of saliva per day containing 3.5 kg of bicarbonate, which acts as a buffer to the rumen contents and keeps the rumen pH between 6-7.

Front 6

Forages

Back 6

Forages are feeds that are home-grown and thus cheap. DUring the late spring, summer and autumn the usual forage is grazing grass whereas during winter housing conserved forages must be fed.

Conserved forages include grass silage, maize silage, and other whole crop silages. As well, they may feed hay or straw.

These forages can be fed separately from concentrates or mixed together.

Front 7

Concentrates

Back 7

Concentrates are feeds which contain a high concentration of nutrients (which is usually energy) and are predominatley purchased by the farmer. These are more expensive.

These are used to make up the quantity of nutrients (e.g. energy, protein) to meet the dietary requirments of cows.

Compound feeds, barley, wheat, soya, brewers grains etc.

Concentrates are either fed mixed with forages as a TMR (total mixed ration) or separately (e.g in the milking parlour)

Front 8

What are the products from the UK cattle industry?

Back 8

1. Milk is the main product from the dairy industry==> cheese, butter, etc as well

2. Meat
can come from young cattle (which are born specifically for beef production and reared/fattened for slaughter) or for culled cattle (which must test negative for BSE after slaughter)

3. Hide: by-product used for the manufacturing of leather

Front 9

What's BSE

Back 9

Mad cow disease

Every beef animal slaughtered in the UK must be tests to be free of BSE. 99.999% of them are free of it.

A section of brain is sent to the lab and then they get result of +/- within 24 hours.