Stressors Inherent to Beef Cattle Management in the United States of America and the Resulting Impacts on Production Sustainability: A Review

Abstract

Stressors are directly related to major events throughout the beef cattle production cycle. Understanding the impact stressors have on productive outcomes is critical for the efficient implementation of management strategies. Such stressors include environmental extremes, nutritional deprivation, and common management procedures. Environmental extremes such as thermal stress can disturb gestating cows’ normal physiological responses, hindering reproductive efficiency. Thermal stress during the breeding season can affect embryo development causing a decrease in conception rates, although adjusting the scheduling of breeding activities can minimize losses. Additionally, suboptimal nutrition may negatively impact reproductive performance if management strategies including modifying seasonal grazing practices are not implemented. As gestation progresses, nutrient requirements increase; thus, without appropriate dietary management, poor calf performance, the loss of the body condition score, and reduced reproductive performance may result. While weaning is a common management procedure, this event is another major stress within the production system. Applying efficient strategies such as creep feeding or two-step weaning to mitigate weaning stress can maximize production efficiency. This review will explore in-depth the stressors associated with production events in the beef cattle industry and give insight into researched management strategies targeting these stressors that will improve the sustainability of the production system.