Even though there are a lot of breeds of both beef and dairy cattle, each type shares some common traits. So, how do you know which is which? Beef cattle are like weight lifters. They are stocky because their energy goes toward building muscle and storing fat. This makes for tasty meat — you want lean meat with marbling for texture and flavor. Their strong legs help them navigate life on the pasture so they can graze. They have stocky, rounded bodies with short necks, thick backs and muscular shoulders and rumps.
Beef cows produce milk, but only enough to feed their calves — about one to two gallons per day. Heifers, steers and cows are all used to produce meat. Meat that comes from steers and heifers is usually higher quality. Dairy cows are more like marathon runners. They are thin and lean with a more angular shape. The Jersey is the smallest of the dairy breeds, weighing in at to 1, pounds, while the average cow weighs about 1, pounds. The most heat-tolerant of dairy breeds, she produces milk with very high butterfat content.
Their milk is ideal for making cheese because of its high protein-to-fat ratio. The Guernsey is known for the rich, golden color of its milk, which is due to high levels of beta carotene a source of vitamin A in the milk. The Milking Shorthorn is considered a dual purpose breed that can be used for milk or beef production. Its milk is known for its high protein-to-fat ratio. The Red and White Holstein is the most recent breed of cows to be recognized, coming in to the breed family in Yes, cows need to be pregnant and give birth to produce milk.
References Sherwood, L. Animal Physiology - from Genes to Organisms. Belmont: Cengage Learning. Print Copy link. Lameness in dairy cows is often attributed to the conditions on factory farms, which see thousands of cows crowded into cramped, indoor spaces. Conditions such as ulcers in their hooves result from standing on concrete for prolonged periods, or a lack of opportunities to exercise.
Lameness is also triggered by infections, such as foot rot and digital dermatitis, which occur when cows are forced to stand in feces. Mastitis is an infection of the mammary gland in mammals caused by a bacterial infection. The condition is one of the most common reasons for reduced production in cows, costing the industry billions of dollars every year.
Infections are triggered by unsanitary conditions in barns, where cows lie on soiled bedding, or when they are exposed to contaminated equipment. Mastitis is a painful condition for cows but is only fatal if farmers see production levels drop.
While the natural lifespan of many cows can reach 15 or even 20 years of age, the vast majority of dairy cows are not permitted to live more than years, at which point they're sent to slaughter, usually after their production levels drop.
Their death represents an inglorious and unfair end to a life of exploitation. In the US, both dairy cows and beef cattle are processed by the same slaughterhouses. By the time dairy cows arrive, their bodies are often so damaged and diseased that they're unable to make the short walk from the transport truck to the killing floor. As a result, downed cows are often pushed into slaughterhouses through side doors using bulldozers or other means of prodding.
Dairy cows' bodies are so diseased and damaged, many are unable to make the short walk from the transport truck to the killing floor. Cows are then guided into a stall, where they are stunned using a gun with a retractable bullet that is meant to render them unconscious. Unfortunately, this stunning method is often inadequate, leaving cows alive and aware of the subsequent steps of slaughter.
Finally, cows are hung upside down and their throats are slit. To produce milk, the mother cow must give birth to a calf. Female calves can be entered into milking production or sold as veal.
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