The art of beef production

By Arden Wohlers DVM
Extension Veterinarian
University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Education Center

Prehistoric man was only able to eat meat that he could capture by clever hunting methods or from animals that were sick or had been injured. This resulted in an unreliable food supply and brought about the domestication of animals so there could always be meat on the table. Through the passage of thousands of years man studied and practiced animal husbandry and gradually developed the sophisticated art of beef production. Those most skilled in this art became the providers of beef for a majority of the population. The family farm that provided extra food and supplied the urban dweller became the standard of agriculture for many generations. As modern civilization became more concentrated it became necessary for cattle concentration to increase in order for the diminishing rural population to provide the food necessary for the masses.

It became necessary to place cattle in an unnatural environment. Cattle were subjected to practices that were unfamiliar to them in order to attain the efficiencies required for production to meet the high demand for meat products. Developing methods to accomplish these new production standards required gaining knowledge through experimental investigation. Thus the science of beef production was created to enhance the industrialization of this traditional family enterprise. Over the last 50 years science has improved health products, parasite control, nutrition and selected genetics that allow cattle to grow faster for decreased cost. This emphasis of the science over the art has allowed a doubling of beef production using fewer resources, making the U.S. the most efficient beef producer in the world.

Concurrent with these advances in science, the developed world is experiencing an emergence of social ethics. We are noting moral movements such as women’s rights, civil rights, gay rights, and animal rights as well as other social concerns. Since the Middle Ages there has been a social ethic that forbids cruelty to animals that protects them from unnecessary pain and neglect. Physical pain has become less of a problem and the interests of society are shifting to the psychological suffering of animals in concentrated production settings. There is a greater concern now for suffering that might be caused to cattle in confinement due to lack of space, inability to move freely, unsanitary conditions and boredom. The beef industry also has concerns for the well being of cattle in modern production facilities.

Following the example of animal behaviorists such as Temple Grandin, Bud Williams and others there has been a significant change the past 25 years in the way we handle and care for cattle. Facilities have been designed so cattle are more at ease moving from pen to pen or going into an area where they may be loaded onto trucks. Some producers have developed exercise areas where cattle can have a recess from their daily work of eating and sleeping. Producers are finding that time spent in a relaxed atmosphere with the beef animals under their care has resulted in gaining the animals' trust. Beef animals that are relaxed and trust their environment and their provider tend to grow faster and have less sick days. These considerations for the psychological well being of cattle have made the work for the beef producer more enjoyable and rewarding.

A renewed interest in the art of beef production is becoming more apparent in all phases of the beef industry. A blend of technology advances and improved animal management methods will be necessary to continue meeting the food needs of the world’s growing population.

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