Careers There are many careers within the beef industry. It is easy to become a rancher or cattle producer if your family raises cattle, Figure 10-2. What if you grow up in the city or have little experience with cattle? There are many opportunities to become engaged in the beef industry through breed associations, cattle shows, working on a farm or ranch that raises cattle, working at a feedlot, or being a large-animal veterinarian—the opportunities are endless! Working on a farm, ranch, or at a feedlot requires some education. Working for a breed association usually requires a college degree, and being a veterinarian requires approximately eight years of college. Common Beef Cattle Terms As with most animals, different terms are used to describe cattle during different stages of their lives: „ Calf—term to describe young „ Bull—young male „ Steer—castrated male „ Heifer—young female „ Bull—mature male „ Cow—mature female „ Calving—act of giving birth in cattle Did You Know? In today’s society, the average person consumes approximately 70 pounds of beef per year. Words to Know (Continued) round ruminant seedstock seedstock cattle producer steer stocker operation subprimal cut Idaho Utah Nevada Arizona Montana North Dakota Minnesota Iowa Wisconsin Michigan Illinois Indiana Ohio Pennsylvania New York Maine New Hampshire Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut Vermont New Jersey Delaware Maryland D.C. Kentucky Virginia West Virginia Tennessee North Carolina South Carolina Mississippi Alabama Georgia Florida Missouri Arkansas Louisiana South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Hawaii Alaska Wyoming Colorado New Mexico Oregon California Washington Mirec/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-1. The top states in beef cattle production. Are there certain climates or topography that make an area better suited for raising beef cattle? Chapter 10 Large-Animal Production 509 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.