If You're Just Getting Started with Beef Cattle...
This asynchronous course is a good starting point before enrolling in the live-instructed BF 233: Beef Cattle Management course. You can purchase both courses together with our "Where's the Beef?" bundle and save 15%!
This shorter self-paced course will provide some very basic information on beef cattle production models, breeds, choosing a breed, terminology, and dairy vs. beef cattle. This is very basic information for those who have not yet bought cattle or are still just considering buying beef cattle. Our full BF 233 course focuses on actual management topics, so this self-paced course will help prepare those students who do not have any cattle raising experience yet to get more out of the full BF 233 course.
Target Audience
People who have interest but no experience with beef cattle
Learning Objectives
If you complete this self-paced course you will:
- understand the differences between beef & dairy cattle, what their purposes are, and how their management differs
- understand basic beef cattle terminology
- understand some of the more common beef breeds and attributes
- learn considerations for choosing a breed
- understand the different systems within the beef cattle production chain, how they all fit together, how you can combine one or more, and how to pick what is right for you
Course Curriculum
Your Instructors
Abbey Birchenough is the Dairy & Livestock Specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County. She is also the lead on the county's 4-H dairy & livestock programs. Abbey grew up in Western NY, was in 4-H herself as a youth, and comes from a dairy background. She assists dairy & livestock producers with anything from getting started to helping them advance their management practices.
Betsy Hicks is a Dairy Management Specialist with the South Central NY Dairy & Field Crops Team with Cornell Cooperative Extension. Her background is in nutrition, and she helps both dairy and beef farmers with grazing, herd health, cow behavior, cow comfort and calf care. Betsy operates a registered Black Angus beef cow-calf operation, focusing on cattle that mother well and excel on grass.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 7 days and we will give you a full refund.
Online Course Tiered Pricing
The Cornell Small Farms Program offers a tiered pricing model to provide greater access to our online courses. To determine your course enrollment cost, please consult the chart below, and honestly identify your current financial situation.
We realize that not everyone is able to afford the price of our courses, so we also offer a small number of scholarships each year to New York State residents. To apply, please read scholarship requirements and complete the application here.