Beef IndustryAn Overview of the Beef Industry in Georgia

Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office

Dr. Frank Flanders and Scott RegisterApril 2006

Objectives

Students will be able to:• Explain the importance of the beef industry in

Georgia.• Name 4 beef meat cuts.• Name 3 of the 4 common Georgia beef breeds. • State key facts about each breed.• Name the three of the top 10 beef producing counties.• Rank the Beef Industry compared to other Georgia

agricultural commodities.• Rank Georgia with other states in beef production.

Why is the beef industry important?

Every day, 76 million Americans eat beef.

99% of a beef carcass is either used as meat or recovered as by-products

Consumers spend more than half of their meat budget on beef

Beef is one of the best sources of iron, the single nutrient most often lacking in the diets of adult women, young children and athletes.

Beef Cuts

There are 8 sections of the beef carcass that are designated into retail cuts.

There are 44 of these retail cuts

The chart to the left show these most common cuts of beef.

Beef Cattle BreedsBreed Types Advantages Disadvantages

British• Angus Low birth weight Lower growth rate • Hereford High fertility• Shorthorn Moderate milk production

Moderate frame size

European• Charolais High growth rate Increased dystocia• Gelbvieh Larger frame size Increased maintenance • Maine-Anjou High milk production • Pinzgauer• Simmental• South Devon• Tarentaise

Zebu• American Brahman Adaptability to adverse environments Lower growth rate• British Derivatives Moderate to high milk production Poor carcass quality • European Derivatives Maximum heterosis in crossbreeding

Common Breeds of Georgia

• There are many beef breeds that are raised in Georgia

• The following are the 4 most common:– Angus– Hereford– Charolais– Simmental

Angus

• Angus cattle can be either black or red in color

• They originated in the United Kingdom

• They have low, compact bodies and are noted for the fine quality of their meat.

Hereford

• Originated in England• Came to the United States in 1817

• They are a very hearty breed• A very productive breed

Charolais

• Originated in France• Valued because they grow at a fast rate and reach large

size• They are white or creamy white in color

Simmental

• Originated in Switzerland

• Their color varies from pale gold to dark reddish brown. The head is usually white in front of the eyes with the lower parts of the legs also

largely white • Valued for good weight gain (2 to 3 pounds per day) and very docile

Operations

• About 71% of Georgia cattle operations are commercial cow-calf producers, 21% are purebred cow-calf producers, and 8% are stockers

• Cattle is raised in all 159 counties of GeorgiaTherefore, the beef industry has a large impact on the state's economy

(estimated at more than $2 billion).

• In Georgia, 87% of our 23,000 producers own less than 100 head of cattle. Yet this group owns only 46% of cattle. The other 13% of Georgia cattlemen (3,300 producers) own 54% of the cattle.

Beef in Georgia’s Counties

Ranking County Total Head

1 Carroll 21,000

2 Wilkes 20,000

3 Morgan 18,000

4 Jackson 16,000

5 Madison 15,600

6 Early 15,000

7 Franklin 15,000

8 Habersham 15,000

9 Bartow 14,000

10 Berrien 13,850

Ranking County Farm Gate Value

1 Carroll $9,098,460

2 Wilkes $8,665,200

3 Morgan $7,798,680

4 Jackson $6,932,160

5 Madison $6,758,856

6 Early $6,498,900

7 Franklin $6,498,900

8 Habersham $6,498,900

9 Bartow $6,065,640

Georgia Commodities

Georgia's Top 10 Farm Commodities

1 Broilers $3.2 billion

2 Timber $561 million

3 Cotton $501 million

4 Eggs $400 million

5 Horses $247 million

6 Dairy $245 million

7 Beef Cattle $242 million

8 Greenhouse $236 million

9 Peanuts $232 million

10Container Nursery $169 million

Assessment 1. What percentage of a beef carcass is used as either meat or as a byproduct?

A. 10% B. 28% C. 78% D. 99%

2. Consumers as a whole spend more than ____ of their meat budget on beef.

A. 1/3 B.1/2 C. they make D. their monthly income

3. There are 8 sections of the beef carcass that are designated into ____.

A. retail cuts B. production cuts C. choice cuts D. USDA select

4. Name four of the eight cuts.

5. There are three categories that most beef cattle fall under; Zebu, European and ___.

6. What are the four most abundant breeds of beef cattle in Georgia?

7. What color can angus cattle be? A. Black B. White C. Red D. Black or Red

8. Beef cattle are grown in _______ counties in Georgia. A. 125 B. 159 C. 200 D. 36

9. Name two of the top five beef cattle producing counties in Georgia.

10. How does the beef industry rank in comparison to other Georgia agricultural commodities?

A. 1 B. 7 C. 10 D. 25

Assessment Key1. D 99%

2. B ½

3. A retail cuts

4. Round, Sirloin, Fore shank and Brisket, Chuck, Short loin, Rib, Flank and Short plate, and Other cuts

5. British

6. Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and Simmental

7. D Black or Red

8. B 159

9. Carroll, Morgan, Madison, Wilkes, and Jackson\

10.B 7

References

• http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/• http://www.georgiastats.uga.edu/

• http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/GAR/reportgaag.htm