Beef Cow Slaughter and Herd Culling 

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist 

 

As 2023 began, the January 1 inventory data showed that the number of beef heifers calving was down 5.1 percent year over year, to the lowest level since 2011.  The question of how the beef cow herd inventory would change would therefore depend on how beef cow slaughter changed throughout the year.  From the beginning, some additional beef herd liquidation was likely.  Given the low inventory of bred heifers, beef cow slaughter would have to decrease by roughly 24 percent year over year in order to hold the beef cow inventory steady.  That would have dropped the beef cow culling rate from the record 13.2 percent in 2022 to about 10.4 percent this year.  Such a dramatic decrease in beef cow slaughter was never likely.  Through early September, the year over year weekly average beef cow slaughter decrease reached a maximum of 13.8 percent down from the previous year.  If this decrease had persisted for the entire year an additional beef cow herd liquidation of roughly 1.5 percent would be possible.  This would have resulted in a beef cow culling rate of roughly 11.8 percent. 

 

However, Figure 1 shows that a strong seasonal increase in beef cow slaughter began in September.  The average weekly beef cow slaughter since Labor Day has been down 5.6 percent year over year and the decrease the last five weeks into early December has been down just 1.3 percent from one year ago.  The year to date decrease in beef cow slaughter is now down 11.4 percent with just four weeks of data left in the year. 

 

 

 

Figure 1. Beef Cow Slaughter

 

This rate of beef cow slaughter suggests that the beef cow herd decreased another 2.0-2.5 percent in 2023.  This would result in a January 1, 2024 beef cow herd of about 28.2 million head, the smallest since 1961.  The apparent beef cow culling rate for 2023 is about 12.1 percent.   

 

Since 2001, the USDA January estimate of beef replacement heifers has included an estimate of the number of beef heifers expected to calve (bred heifers) and, by subtraction, the number of heifer calves retained for breeding in the coming year. Looking back in history, a comparison of this estimate of heifers to be bred this year to the number of heifers calving next year implies that there are always some extra heifers bred (out of the Other Heifer inventory).  We won’t know the number of bred heifers for 2024 until the Cattle report is released at the end of January.  However, the calculated inventory of heifers retained for breeding in 2023 was the lowest in the data back to 2001.  The level of heifer slaughter in 2023, down just 2.8 percent year over year, doesn’t indicate a likelihood of many “extra” heifers bred in 2023.  The pool of bred beef heifers is likely to remain low going into 2024, keeping the prospects of beef cow herd growth minimal in the coming year.    

 

Derrell Peel, OSU Extension livestock marketing specialist, explains why bigger feeder cattle numbers are declining on the Livestock Marketing segment of SUNUPTV from November 11, 2023.  

 

 

Just How Do Santa's Reindeer Get the Job Done?

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist & Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist 

 

It is the “most wonderful time of the year” and this week Dr. Glenn Selk joins us to address the age-old questions of what permit Reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh all over the globe on Christmas eve. 

 

Have you ever wondered how Santa's reindeer can make that monumental journey on Christmas Eve? Let's look into some key facts about reindeer that may help us understand how they transport Ole St. Nick on his appointed rounds over the world. First of all, historians report that reindeer have been domesticated by humans for over 5,000 years. Since Santa himself is no spring chicken, we can assume that they have worked together for quite a while. They should not have any trouble finding their way around. There is no need to worry about them getting lost. We do know that reindeer are like ruminants. They are like cattle in this regard. They have four compartments to their stomach. Of course Santa gets them filled up with hay before he leaves the North Pole, so they should have plenty of feed stored in the four compartments to make it all around the globe. Also, cattle nutritionists have known for years that hay digests more slowly than grain, therefore the big meal that the reindeer eat before the journey should last even longer. Or just like your mom says, "It'll stick to their ribs!". As for drinking water, that should be no problem whatsoever. In their homeland the water is all frozen so they are used to getting the moisture they need by eating snow. So as the sleigh is parked on snowy rooftops in cold weather cities, the reindeer can take on the moisture they need if they get thirsty. 

 

How do they keep warm while flying around on Christmas Eve? The fur that they have is very thick and can hold a lot of air. The "blanket" of insulation combining fur and air helps keep them warm in even the coldest of climates. Plus flying around Christmas night in many areas of the world that are warmer than they have at home should not be a problem. 

 

How do they fly? Well that’s a tougher question, and we really do not have that one completely answered. However, let’s look at what we do know about them. Reindeer are amazingly fast runners on the ground. A newborn baby reindeer at one day of age can out run the fastest person on earth. By the time that they are fully grown it is hard to tell what speeds that they could reach. Next remember those huge antlers. Antlers of adult male reindeer can be as much as 4 feet long! Just think about it. Each reindeer has 2 sets; that’s 8 feet of antlers and with eight reindeer (or nine if we count Rudolph on foggy nights) that is 64 to 72 feet of total antler span. A typical small airplane only has about 20 - 30 feet of wingspan. Certainly it seems feasible those eight reindeer running that fast with all that antler span could get off the ground. 

 

There are a couple of myths about reindeer that we should clear up. You have probably heard the poem that says that they have tiny reindeer feet. Actually they have a very wide large hoof that they use at home to dig through the snow to find grass and moss to eat. You've got to think that those wide hooves would come in handy for sliding to rather sudden stops on the small landing sites that Santa has to work with on Christmas Eve. And you've probably heard the song about “up on the house top click, click, click”. Well it is true that reindeer do make a clicking sound as they walk. They have a tendon that snaps over a bone joint and makes a clicking sound on every step. These are just a few facts about Santa's Reindeer. Maybe this will help us understand that age-old mystery that occurs every Christmas. 

 

 In Cow-Calf Corner, Mark Johnson invites Glenn Selk back to Cow-Calf Corner to discuss the most important ruminant animals of the season: Santa’s reindeer from SUNUPTV on December 27, 2021. 

 

 

Anaplasmosis: An Ongoing Battle

Rosslyn Biggs, DVM, Oklahoma State Extension Beef Cattle Specialist 

 

Bovine anaplasmosis is caused by the rickettsial bacteria, Anaplasma marginale. It invades the red blood cells leading to early signs such as fever, anemia, pale mucous membranes, weakness, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, excitement, jaundice, incoordination, and death may be seen. Abortions and retained placentas may also increase. It typically takes four to eight weeks following the date of infection for signs to become evident. Signs are most severe in animals greater than two years of age although cattle may be infected at any age.  

 

Cattle that recover from initial infection become carriers for life. Carrier animals typically do not show clinical signs and serve as a source of infection for unexposed cattle. However, carrier animals under times of significant stress, such as pregnancy, can revert to exhibiting clinical signs.    

 

Transmission primarily occurs through ticks and biting flies. Wildlife with infected ticks can also play a role in spreading the disease as they travel, transporting the ticks with them. Infected cows may also transmit the agent to their unborn calves. Equipment contaminated with infected blood, such as injection needles used on multiple animals is another common mechanism to transmit the bacteria. Diagnosis is through blood testing.  

 

Oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline are approved for control of the agent and enrofloxacin is labeled to treat initial infections in certain classes of beef cattle. Other supportive treatments may also be needed. There are currently no approved antimicrobials in the US labeled to eliminate the anaplasmosis carrier status. 

 

With limited options to address the disease, pharmaceutical stewardship must be considered when reaching for antimicrobials used in the treatment and control of anaplasmosis to maintain long term effectiveness of these products. There are currently no commercially available USDA approved vaccines for anaplasmosis. In some states, conditionally approved vaccines may be obtained. These vaccines may prevent anaplasmosis related deaths but do not prevent infected cattle from becoming carriers and are not protective against all anaplasmosis strains.  

 

Determining herd anaplasmosis status is important to developing an approach. Testing of new introductions prior to purchase or turnout is also recommended especially if animals are sourced from areas not known to be endemic for anaplasmosis. Other biosecurity measures include maintaining a closed herd and preventing reuse of contaminated equipment during processing. Producers should consult with their veterinarian regarding the best approach for treatment and control specific to their operation.