Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T07:31:58.215Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Beef production from grass and silage with autumn-born calves. 2. The effects on the performance of cattle fed on silage of barley supplementation and of previous grazing intensity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. M. Wllkinson  and
J. H. D. Prescott
J. M. Wllkinson
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne
J. H. D. Prescott
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne
Get access

Summary

1. Two experiments are described in which the consequences of variation in grazing intensity were studied during the subsequent period of winter feeding from 12 months of age to slaughter at 18 months. The cattle were loose-housed and fed on silage ad libitum, together with allowances of rolled barley. Individual organic-matter intake was measured periodically, chromic oxide being used to estimate faecal output. The digestibility of the diet was estimated with stall-fed steers.

2. Groups of 12 steers were grazed at different intensities over five-month periods, so that those grazed at the higher intensity were 38 and 16 kg lighter at the start of the 1966 and 1967 winter feeding periods respectively. They did not make significant compensatory growth over the subsequent winter feeding periods, although they had a significantly higher intake of feed organic matter per 100 kg live weight than the control steers.

3. With supplements of 3·63 and 1·81 kg/head per day of barley, live-weight gains were 0·77 and 0·50 kg/head per dayin the first half of the winter, but in the second half, when barley allowances were raised to 4.54 and 2·72 kg/head per day, both groups gained weight at the same rate (0·94 kg/head per day).

4. The higher level of barley feeding reduced silage intake by 0·4 kg OM/kg barley OM at all stages of the winter, and the additional 306 kg of barley was associated with the production of 21 kg more carcass weight at slaughter. This higher yield of carcass was reflected in a higher weight of fat in a three-rib sample joint.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , August 1970 , pp. 443 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1970

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Alder, F. E., Tayler, J. C. and Rudman, J. E. 1964. Hexoestrol implantation of steers fattened at pasture. 1. Effects on growth and herbage intake. Anim. Prod. 6: 47–56.Google Scholar
Forbes, T. J. and Irwin, J. H. D. 1968. The use of barn-dried hay and silage in fattening young beef cattle. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 23: 299–305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hinks, C. E. 1970. The influence of certain production characteristics on carcass and meat quality. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. Newcastle upon Tyne.Google Scholar
McCarrick, R. B. 1967. The growth and body composition of beef cattle fed conserved fodders. In Fodder Conservation (ed. Wilkins, R. J.). Occ. Symp. Br. Grassld Soc., No. 3, pp. 121–129.Google Scholar
Preston, R. L. and Burroughs, W. 1958. Stilboestrol responses in lambs fed rations differing in calorie to protein ratios. J. Anim. Sci. 17: 140–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M. and Prescott, J. H. D. 1970a. The use of chromic oxide in the measurement of individual feed intake in cattle fed on silage and barley. Anim. Prod. 12: 71–80.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M. and Prescott, J. H. D. 1970b. Beef production from grass and silage with autumn-born calves. 1. The influence of grazing intensity on efficiency of herbage utilization and growth of cattle. Anim. Prod. 12: 433–442.Google Scholar