Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1968, 28: 145-156
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1968, 28: 145-156
In the first, mixed-age Aberdeen Angus cattle were fed for 116 days on either maize silage, grass silage or hay ad lib. while stocked on autumn-saved pasture at either 2½ or 5 beasts per acre. Ten beasts were used in each treatment sub-group and the trial was replicated once. Stock fed maize silage grew more rapidly during the winter feeding period at the lower stocking rate. Hay-fed groups declined in growth rate during a post trial common grazing period and had 19 lb lower carcass weights at slaughter. The largest treatment differences (29 lb carcass weight) occurred between the two stocking rates on autumn-saved pasture.
The second trial compared maize silage and hay fed during winter in conjunction with either 1 kg or 3 kg dry matter of autumn-saved pasture. Forty-one yearling crossbred steers were stall fed for 114 days. No significant differences in growth rate were found between the fodders, but a highly-significant difference of 0.34 lb per day (39%) occurred between the two levels of pasture feeding.
A trial is also reported where three groups of 10 crossbred steers were differentially fed over a period of 88 days to induce liveweight differences of 175 lb and 180 lb, respectively. between two hourly-fed and one well-fed group. During a 168-day realimentation period, all beasts were stall fed on cut pasture. The previously high-level and one of the low-level groups were fed ad lib., while the other low-level group was rationed to the dry matter intake of the previously high-level group. At the end of the realimentation period, the ad lib. group had compensated for 38%, and the rationed group for 21% of the induced liveweight differences.
The relevance of these findings to intensive beef production is discussed.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
