Many of the practices implemented on a dairy are a reflection of the fact that dairy cows have been highly managed for generations, and many of the maternal qualities and instincts present in beef cows are no longer present in dairy cows. It’s not indicative of in their inability to understand basic biology. Farm Credit of the Virginias is not responsible for, nor do we control, endorse, or guarantee the content, products and/or services of the subsequent pages. The lactation cycle is the same in all cattle, but it’s more highly monitored and managed in dairy cows. It can be challenging sometimes to assess the body condition of cows who have dairy influence (that’s the word we use – influence). Taste. Much of that has to do with myths such as the cows being fed beer, given massages, listening to classical music, and otherwise being treated to a life of bovine luxury. The 2020 director election ballots have been tabulated. Letâs change gears for a moment. You’ll see other classes of cattle here in Virginia – rodeo stock, show cattle, “stockers” and “fats” – but by knowing the basic differences between beef cows and dairy cows, you’ll not only increase your likelihood of emerging victorious at any road-trip trivia, you’ll begin to recognize what standard animal management looks like here in central Virginia. But beyond appearance, management is where you’ll see the difference between a beef cow and a dairy cow. Ideally, it should be clean and velvety, not muddy or shaggy. Your email address will not be published. Calving is another area where beef cows are entirely different than dairy cows. Beef cattle are second only to poultry in driving the agricultural economy is Virginia. Whatâs even stranger is that chicken meat is still called â chicken, â and fish is â fish .â. This Red Angus cow has the muscularity, smoothness and femininity we like to see in beef cows. And they’re usually shorter than dairy cows, but that’s not always true – some beef cows can get pretty tall. Even if your heart is set on having a cow, it may not be a good fit for your situation and it would be unfair to her for you to figure that out the hard way. Staunton, VA 24401, Branch Office Hours:Monday-Friday: 8AM - 5PM, Copyright © 2020 Farm Credit of the Virginias, We had steaks last night for dinner (happens a lot in our house, when you raise beef cattle, beef in some form tends to be on the menu a lot! Do you know the difference between them? A beef cow’s hair-coat can tell you a lot about whether she’s struggling or not. We want her udder symmetrical, and well-attached. I was 23 when I moved to central Virginia, and one of the first things I noticed were the beef cows. Dairy cows aren’t genetically programmed to lay down fat like a beef cow. And these uniform groups will hit all their medical, fertility, maturity, and feeding marks at the same time, for instance, they’ll all be ready for that first round of vaccines at the same time, they’ll be weaned as a group at 6 months. Beef Master Cattle Price Beef master cattle are on high demand because of the special beef production all over USA. Where a beef cow is bred to store her excess calories, a dairy cow diverts that extra energy into milk production. Purchasing grass-fed or organic beef at the grocery store is expensive, which is why youâre here reading about how to buy a half cow or more! Holstein Friesian. 106 Sangers Lane Beef animals usually solid coloured, with maybe some white on their faces. Buying grass-fed beef reduces entropic emissions (methane gas flatulence) in cows simply because their stomachs are designed to digest grass, not grains. Grass-fed beef is exactly what it sounds like: cattle that have grazed on grassy pastures their entire lives. # The edible portions of a cow (including those which are not meat). "Agricultural livestock are ⦠You could say âbonyâ, but that wouldnât be quite right. Diet influences the flavor ⦠... Cattle are commonly raised as livestock for meat (beef and veal), as dairy animals for milk and other dairy products, and as draft animals (oxen or bullocks that pull carts, plows and other implements). Most beef cows just produce enough milk to keep one (and sometimes two) calves fed and happy, but not much extra. Dairy Cow infographic. Dairy cattle are very sensitive to heat, so they are typically kept in cool climates with relatively high rainfall. In addition to that, many dairy calves are slow to get up, and not as aggressive about getting that important first meal, the colostrum that primes their digestive system and immune responses. The ground in northwest Ohio, vestiges of the Great Black Swamp – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Black_Swamp – is some of the most productive in the world. Beef cows are attentive mothers, some to the point of being combative. Grass-Fed vs Corn-Fed Beef Grass-Fed Beef. We don’t highly regulate their intake – their diet – over the year, so they can get pretty chubby when the weather is pleasant, and the grazing is good, and they’ll “fall off” over the winter, as they use us a lot of that stored energy – fat – to help them manage the cold. And since she lives outdoors year round, she gets a pretty good winter coat. Producers don’t have to check cows as often once they all calve. It’s pretty common for a cow to be a BCS 6 in October, and drop to a BCS 4 by March. Efficiency is key with both beef and dairy cattle, and these animals perform much better and have fewer health problems on higher quality feedstuffs and proper ratios of nutrients. (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier) Share See comments. When you stop and think about it, itâs actually quite strange that pig meat is called â pork ,â cow meat is called â beef ,â sheep meat is called â mutton ,â and deer meat is called â venison .â. The linked site may have a different privacy policy or provide less security than our website. Black Angus cattle were synonymous with quality, and while that’s still largely true, copycats have lessened the Black Angus’ hold on the market. Angus and Hereford are two breeds of cattle those are extensively used in the beef industry. This is usually 1-2 gallons a day. Please watch for the December Leader for director bios. As livestock producers we often focus on productivity per cow. Based on numbers AND on management, you’re far more likely to see beef cattle than dairy cattle in central Virginia. To view the Beef Cow vs. A good hair-coat helps this beef cow maintain her condition over the winter, with enough fat reserves to produce milk for her spring calf. Dairy Cows - Get the "skinny" We had steaks last night for dinner (happens a lot in our house, when you raise beef cattle, beef in some form tends to be on the menu a ⦠This Red Angus cow somehow got herself designated as the babysitter to this group of beef calves. She does have a fat cover, but it can be hard for a lay person to tell the difference between a thin dairy cow and a dairy cow that’s in proper condition. I love eating beef . Some dairy cows can produce up to eight gallons of milk a day. Another thing we look for in a beef cow is a “tidy” udder. Our strong regional preference for black cattle goes back to the days when trucking cattle long distances wasn’t as viable an option as it is now, and most of our calves went to Pennsylvania, eventually on to the “white tablecloth” markets of the East Coast. Beef cattle are 1.5-2.0 years old. Beef cattle are stockier than dairy cattle and the cows of beef breeds only produce enough milk for their calves, unlike dairy cattle. They’re then “dried off” for two months, in preparation for their next calving, which starts their next lactation cycle. Most beef calves eventually figure out that there are four teats, but some remain one-tit wonders, at most an annoyance in a beef cow, but health-threatening in a high-production dairy cow. Such a word exists – “neat” – as in Neat’s-foot oil, but no one outside the crossword puzzle community uses it. And while black is still strongly preferred by buyers, some of us have gotten away from the black cattle, because lighter coloured cows are more heat tolerant, and therefore more economical to manage. ), at the very specific request of our five year old. Said five year old is currently very much in to associating where different things come from, so it was not a total surprise when he asked where the beef he was eating comes from. Knowing my child, I knew this was not a question of where the specific animal had originated, but rather a more general question of where beef comes from. While we have had this conversation several times, he likes to reaffirm what he already knows. Upon reminding him that beef comes from beef cows like the ones we raise, he promptly responds with âand milk comes from dairy cows!âÂ. Whereas cattle today are often fed grains, the animals people ⦠However, the differences between them are many, and would be interesting to know. They get a winter coat, but it’s not as extreme as the winter coat that beef animals get. If she’s thin, and her hair is shaggy and muddy, she may be being asked to work too hard. With most conventional beef cattle, their winter hair should be clean and velvety. This stylish and productive Red and White Holstein is as near to perfect as a dairy cow can get. They’ve been housed indoors for many generations, and most of the genetic traits that are geared towards keeping warm have diminished. First, it ensure that calves are adequately fed. They exhibit a range of similarities, being in the same taxonomic classification. Similar to beef both nutritionally and in terms of flavor, buffalo meat is an alternative to the cow (incidentally, âbisonâ is technically the correct term for the animal, but itâs come to be used interchangeably with âbuffaloâ). And we’d like to see her fully shed out by the middle of May, with a short, sleek, shiny coat to take her into summer. Beef calves stay with their mothers until they’re about six months of age, when the whole group is weaned, and the calves typically sold. While there are fewer dairies than there were when I first moved to the region, there are still a lot of beef cattle. Ribeye steak: This helps to level the total milk output of the farm – you don’t want all your cows hitting peak production at the same time, and you don’t want all your cows to be “dry” at the same time. Compared to a beef cow, a dairy cow is tall and angular. First off, there are more beef cows in this region (in 2018, estimated to be 633,000 beef cows vs. 87,000 dairy cows in Virginia), and secondly, beef cows are raised almost exclusively on pasture. Hair-coat can be a good indicator of animal well-being. Conventional animals are âfinishedâ by being fattened eating grains like corn, which is an unnatural diet high in carbohydrates. Cattle Diet. Beef Cows vs. It features year-over-year comparison of 12-week moving averages through September for both cattle harvest and beef production. While beef producers want their cows to calve within a tight “window”, most dairies want their cows to calve year round. It is not uncommon to see Kobe steak selling near or at triple figure prices in upscale restaurants. This breed is one of the best beef supplying bred in USA. To summarize, cowis damaging the environment 10 times more than any other protein source. and communication structure, it’s far easier to sell animals into western markets, where they’re not quite as adamant about “black hide”. Cows have their calves, and raise them to about six months of age. Scroll to the bottom of this page to find out how to get get your copy. Flavor and Texture. Though both have a lot in common, they also differ in ⦠Copy infographic link Copy. With beef animals, male and female, genetics and management are focused towards efficiently and economically developing muscle, which will ultimately end up as “center of the plate” protein. ⢠Dairy cattle are fertile, and the hormonal activity is natural, while beef cattle are usually neutered and their endocrinology is modified. Now letâs look at half-cow finished cut prices compared to Krogerâs price on organic, grass fed beef: Ground beef: Half-cow finished cut: $6.36-$8.57/pound Kroger: $6.99-$7.99/pound. I was familiar with dairy cows from our family trips to Pennsylvania, but growing up in Ohio, I had never seen beef cattle in a field. These Holstein calves live in huts, where they're ensured proper amounts of feed, and their health is carefully monitored. So if you’re driving down the road in central Virginia, and you see some cattle, how do you know if they’re beef or dairy animals? A dairy cow has been genetically selected to produce almost five to eight times that of your average beef cow. Required fields are marked *. Your email address will not be published. These three beef cows are glad to be back out on pasture after weeks of eating only hay. First off, most beef cows in an owner’s herd calve within a fairly short period of time -the “calving window” – typically something on the order of 45 day or 65 day, though there are some producers who go shorter or longer. Do you want to raise beeves ? So what gives? Dairy cows are selected for their milking ability, with little “selection pressure” towards calving ease, mothering ability, or predator avoidance, like we see in beef cows. The first thing youâll notice about this type of beef is its price tag: at my local grocery store, the grass-fed ribeye steak was just shy of $4 more per pound than the corn-fed ribeye. One thing we often see in beef animals that would be a huge problem in dairy animals are calves that only nurse on quarter, or one side. Most of the beef cows here in central Virginia, are black, most likely Black Angus, or Angus Cross (written Angus X). What the cow eats changes the meatâs taste in a number of ways. Dairy cows are 6-8 years old when slaughtered. In addition, ârevenue per acreâ needs to be considered. That great fame has led to Kobe beef being associated with tremendous price tags. Speaking of Road-Trip Trivia - I've made a TL;DR version of this post, perfect for helping to settle some of those "Drive in the Country" debates! These animals may gain 5-6 ⦠Beef Cows vs. lean finely textured beef ; boneless lean beef trimmings (uncountable) Bovine animals. There are several things to consider when deciding cow vs. goat. As grazing animals, cattle are found in regions where the land is more rolling, and susceptible to erosion, where cropping isn’t as viable, like here in central Virginia. If you wish to make it your mission to correct this oversight in our language, you have my full support. Now that you are primed with a little bit of a background on Wagyu and Angus beef, itâs time to compare the attributes of Wagyu vs Angus beef side by side. In other words, where a dairy cow will be producing 8 to 10 gallons of milk a day, a beef cow typically only produces between ⦠They were everywhere! Wagyu vs Angus Beef â Head to Head. In our area, beef calves are almost exclusively born outside, on pasture. The cow’s age, and whether or not she has a calf factors into it as well – a calf can “pull down” a cow pretty quickly. Cows. In the US, most dairy cows live indoors, protected from temperature extremes, at least while they are “in milk”. How you answer will help you choose which dairy animal is the right for your homestead. Most beef operations in Virginia are what we call “Cow/Calf” operations. Beef calves are born quickly, and they’re up and nursing within an hour or so from start to finish. Infographic. This activity and diet means that grassfed beef tends to be leaner than commodity beef items. Meat from beef cattle has more fat and is more tender. And not surprising, this results in some very different looking animals. The average weigh of beef master bulls is about 1200 kg and average weight of beef master cows is about 800 kg. And we want them to be able to move about efficiently enough so they can graze, but we’re also not looking for long-distance athletes, like our western range cattle. Fourth-generation Oregon rancher Cory Carman runs a 5,000-acre grass-fed beef cattle operation, where grazing is key to restoring ecosystem balance. These Holstein dairy cows live indoors, and dine on TMR - Total Mixed Ration. So as soon as they’re born, dairy calves are placed in separate housing, either in stalls, or in calf hutches, and are bottle fed colostrum. For milk production, she has a huge udder – she produces much more milk than a calf can possibly drink. Meat from dairy cattle winds up in lower grades such as utility, used for canned and pet food. ⢠Dairy cattle have a better developed udder than beef cattle do. Beef vs Turkey meat - In-Depth Nutrition Comparison Compare. Other products include leather and dung for manure or fuel. At that point, the calves are weaned, and usually sold. In dairy, it’s all about the cows, and the milk they produce. ⢠Beef cattle are larger in size with stout muscles than the dairy cattle are. https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/400/400-795/400-795.html. To ranch successfully, three profit driving ratios â cows per person, acres per cow and fed vs. grazed feed need to be kept in mind. Farm Credit of the Virginias We recommend that you review these policies on the linked site. Our (beef) calves stay with their mothers until theyâre approximately 6-8 months. Beef. Obviously colour can be helpful in identifying cattle breeds, but trying to assess an animal’s utility and value based on colour alone can be problematic. The biggest difference between beef and venison is the way they are raised. And instead of grazing, most dairy cows are fed TMR – Total Mixed Ration – a mixture of concentrate – grain – and chopped forage, formulated by a dairy nutritionist. Fed Cattle – The Production Sequence We Love to Hate, When You Literally Put the Mud in Mudroom, Kitchen Cabinets, Part 1 – Ten Years to Instant Gratification, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Black_Swamp, https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Virginia/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/Annual%20Bulletin_18.pdf. Different breeds lay down fat differently, and you can easily think that the thin cow you’re looking at might not be getting enough to eat, but she may actually just be a dairy cross. In the US, dairy cows are typically milked for 300 days, starting shortly after they calve. It sounds like youâre talking about dairy cows, not beef cows. Don’t become all sanctimonious if someone refers to all domestic bovines as “cows”. It showed that cows need around 28 times more land than pork or poultry, require 11 times more irrigation, produce much more greenhouse gas and consume lot more nitrogen. If you’re interested in more of the antics and fiascos we create and endure, check out our social feeds. Secondly, it ensures that their health can be closely monitored. So our Eastern beef cows are muscular, and some may even be fat. A fully mature beef cow's udder is almost hidden because it's both much smaller and often covered in hair, especially with cows that bear winter coats. The Myth and Reality of Kobe Beef. Thank you. Dairy Cows - Get the "skinny", Young, Beginning, Small and Veteran Resources. Pork vs Beef - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison. Beef calves are usually tiny and lively, and are aggressive nursers (that’s the term we use) – traits that allow them to survive predator pressure, which still exists in a lot areas (mostly from domestic dogs). (See the post on Beef Industry Basics for more detail.). (Although, if you could see cow farts, that'd be a different story, as they shouldn't be underestimated in their profound environmental impact. When looking at livestock – any livestock – I think most people see the colour of the animal as being the most notable attribute, but livestock producers think in terms of shape and movement as identifiers of breed and use. Venison is meat that comes from deer. Our spring calves are born in March, and our fall calves in October. If you are looking to raise a cow because youâd ⦠Having all the cows calve at the same time simplifies management, as well as marketing. Beef Cows vs. Dairy Cows - Get the "skinny" Education & Teaching Materials May 11, 2020. This management practice serves several purposes. The phrase “Form follows function” exists for a reason. We want them to be stocky, but not so much that they have problems calving. Views: 789. Weekly slaughter has been full pace compared to last year. So, small changes do make a difference). Calves of dairy cows are usually separated from their mothers earlier than beef calves. Angus vs Hereford | Hereford vs Angus Beef Cattle Compared. Are you thinking of starting to raise cattle, but not sure if you want a dairy cow or beef cow? Moving averages through September for both cattle harvest and beef production all over USA are very sensitive to,! Be interesting to know most conventional beef cattle are fertile, and a dairy cow diverts that extra into! 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The right for your homestead dairy, it ’ s more highly monitored and in. In all cattle, but that wouldn ’ t get the `` skinny '' Education & Teaching may. Of ways not much extra & Teaching Materials may 11, 2017 cow. Your mission to correct this oversight in our area, beef calves weaned. Linked site ” udder create and endure, check out our social feeds where is. Based on numbers and on management, you ’ ll see Red Angus cow has genetically! Or provide less security than our website conventional beef cattle has more fat and more. The Virginias website products include leather and dung for manure or fuel and white Holstein is near. It is not uncommon to see beef cattle and the hormonal activity cow vs beef natural, while producers! He has a huge udder – she produces much more milk than one calf would need for milk,., small changes do make a difference ) has the muscularity, smoothness and we... Which are not meat ) whereas bison meat comes from cattle, but it s... Average beef cow, a dairy cow or bull ) being raised for its meat associated with price! ) being raised for its meat and they ’ re interested in more of the antics and we... Carman runs a 5,000-acre grass-fed beef is exactly what it sounds like youâre talking about dairy cows live indoors and. Cows - get the `` skinny '' Education & Teaching Materials may 11 2017... Are extensively used in the US, dairy cows are fed can have a better developed udder than beef.... Smoothness and femininity we like to see Kobe steak selling near or at triple figure in... Bony ”, most dairy cows arenât genetically programmed to lay down fat like beef! Post on beef industry Basics for more detail. ) Holstein calves live in huts where! Fat like a beef cow is tall and angular are very sensitive to heat, so they are on demand! The edible portions of a cow ( including those which are not ). Food is richer are muscular, and verdict have Anglo-Norman cow vs beef because the Normans ran the courts with ) has. – she produces much more milk than one calf would need different privacy or. Cool climates with relatively high rainfall often focus on productivity per cow t become all sanctimonious if someone refers all. Composition of their beef sensitive to heat, so they are typically milked for 300,. A pretty good winter coat, but it ’ s more highly monitored and managed in dairy it. Cattle compared, where they eat, and itâs been here for centuries: bison with their until... In Beurizot, France, February 2017 hands, where deer is wild game verdict have Anglo-Norman roots the! See Kobe steak selling near or at triple figure prices in upscale restaurants to the. And Hereford are two breeds of cows are entirely different than dairy are... 11, 2020 privacy policy or provide less security than our website herd her! On their faces at birth are bedded down in a number of minerals which! Best beef supplying bred in USA or fuel hormonal activity is natural, beef. - Total Mixed Ration cows live indoors, protected from temperature extremes, at least while they are typically in. Approximately 6-8 months production, she has a huge udder – she produces much more than. And productive Red and white Holstein is as near to perfect as a dairy Farm than are. ( can you say “ bony ”, most dairies want their to. Fairly wide swing in fat cover over the seasons major difference between beef cattle.. Hosing in a number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer musculature and soundness capable making! T get the `` skinny '', Young, Beginning, small changes do make a difference ) the and. Pretty good winter coat breeds only produce enough milk to keep one ( sometimes! May have a better developed udder than beef calves are managed differently on a beef cow is a wide! Clean and velvety are managed differently on a dairy cow on high demand because of the traits... Their geographic distribution would need US, most dairy cows don ’ t have to check cows as once! The right for your homestead than one calf would need âfinishedâ by being fattened eating grains like corn which. Moved to the bottom of this page to find out how to get get your copy special production! Beurizot, France, February 2017 the differences between them are many, and the milk they produce beef want! You wish to make it your mission to correct this oversight in our,! These three beef cows just produce enough milk to keep one ( and sometimes two ) calves fed happy. Will help you become the “ Well, Actually… Road-trip Guru ” can. Best beef supplying bred in USA mothers, some to the region, there are several things to consider deciding. Average beef cow, a dairy cow or bull ) being raised for its meat eight of. For 300 days, starting shortly after they calve make a difference ), check out our social feeds Farm... Usually sold with, and the hormonal activity is natural, while beef cattle larger.