A note on the effect of dry season feeding treatment on the subsequent growth at pasture during the wet season of Brahman steers

1988 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 501-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wadsworth
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Cane ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Single Group ◽  
Subsequent Growth ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Brahman Steers

An experiment was carried out over successive years (1982 and 1983) to measure the extent to which live-weight advantage as a result of feeding in the dry season was maintained during the subsequent wet season at pasture. Two ages of Brahman steer (weaners and yearlings) were kept on three dry season treatments (molasses, sugar cane or grazing only) from January to May and then turned out to pasture as a single group until November. Although the molasses and sugar cane treatments produced significantly higher live-weight gains during the dry season the resultant weight advantage at turn-out was largely reduced during the wet season due to compensatory growth exhibited by previously restricted animals. Yearlings were less able to compensate than weaners.

Compensatory growth in mashona steers of two ages grazing natural pasture in zimbabwe

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 ◽  
pp. 105-105
Author(s):  
B. Manyuchi ◽  
T. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Cottonseed Meal ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Natural Pasture

Cattle not fed a supplement on dry season grazing lose weight. The magnitude of this loss and the extent of recovery during the subsequent wet season were measured in Mashona steers.Mashona steers aged 8 and 20 months at the outset (groups A and B respectively) were used. Within each group (n = 50) steers were fed cottonseed meal (CSM, 250g per 100kg live-weight) or not fed CSM during the dry season.

The effect of winter food level on compensatory growth of weaned, suckled calves grazed at two sward heights

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
A. J. F. Russel ◽  
E. A. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Food Level ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Winter Food ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Winter Feeding

ABSTRACTTwo experiments were conducted with weaned, suckled calves to investigate the effect of feeding level during the post-weaning winter on their subsequent performance when continuously grazed on pasture maintained at two sward heights. Low, medium and high levels of winter feeding resulted in winter live-weight gains of 0·31, 0·58 and 0·79 (s.e. 0·027) kg/day (P < 0·001) during the 152-day winter in experiment 1 and 0·44, 0·69 and 0·84 (s.e. 0·029) kg/day (P < 0·001) for 189 days in experiment 2. During summer (93 days in experiment 1 and 87 days in experiment 2) there was a significant effect of winter food level on performance when live-weight gains were 1·10, 1·02, 0·87 and 1·35, 1·23 and 1·19 (s.e. 0·060) kg/day for the low, medium and high winter food levels on the short and tall swards respectively in experiment 1 (P < 0·01) and 0·86, 0·66, 0·51 and 1·26, 1·18 and 0·91 (s.e. 0090) kg/day in experiment 2 (P < 0·001). The cattle showing compensatory growth had higher herbage intakes and it is postulated that this occurred because of a negative association between body fat and herbage intake. Sward height had a large positive effect on herbage intake and live-weight gain and it is concluded that for maximum intake on ryegrass swards, herbage height should be at least 8 cm. Lower levels of winter live-weight gain delayed the time to slaughter, but allowed cattle to achieve heavier carcass weights at a fixed level of fatness.It is concluded that there is no single optimum winter food level for weaned, suckled calves but that the choice will depend upon several factors, including availability of winter and summer food resources, the length of the winter feeding period, the desired date of slaughter and type of carcass to be produced.

Seasonal patterns of energy allocation to basal metabolism, activity and production for livestock in a nomadic pastoral ecosystem

1986 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Coppock ◽  
D. M. Swift ◽  
J. E. Ellis ◽  
K. Galvin
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Basal Metabolism ◽  
Energy Budgets ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Annual Basis

SummaryEnergy budgets and estimates of forage intake requirements were developed for adult camels, cattle, sheep, and goats managed by nomads in the arid Turkana District of north-western Kenya. The estimates were developed by combining our field data on livestock activity patterns, diet quality, weight changes and milk yields with literature based estimates of the associated costs and efficiencies. On an annual basis, the average animal walked 17 km/day and had a total metabolizable energy (ME) allocation of 47% for basal metabolism, 16% for travel, 14% for other activities, and 23% for production. Season and species influenced patterns of energy demand and allocation. Average daily ME requirements ranged from 8·7 MJ (sheep) to 76·7 MJ (camels). ME demand for all species peaked during wet (April-May) or early-to mid-dry periods (June-October), and decreased considerably in the late-dry season (November-March). In the wet season the average sheep or goat allocated 45% of its ME budget to production of milk and gain, followed by cattle (36%) and camels (25%). All species were more similar in ME allocation for production during the late-dry season (7–13%; all to lactation), yet patterns of weight loss during this time indicated that camels experienced the lowest degree of negative energy balance. On an annual basis, camel budgets were the most deviant, as they allocated relatively more ME to activity and relatively less to basal metabolism or weight gain. Estimates of forage dry-matter intakes (per unit live weight per day) ranged from 3·8% (cattle, camels) to 4·6% (sheep, goats) throughout the year, and intakes declined for most species by an average of 50% from the wet to late-dry intervals. This approach has revealed ecological differences among livestock species that help explain the utility of multi-species holdings in this system.

The artificial rearing of calves and their growth on grass diets: II. The effect of length of period of feeding cold milk substitute to spring–born calves at pasture

1969 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Lonsdale ◽  
J. C. Tayler
Keyword(s):  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Artificial Rearing ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Milk Substitute ◽  
Reconstituted Milk ◽  
Milk Feeding

SummaryAn experiment was conducted with 32 spring-born Friesian heifer calves, purchased at an average age of 10 days and fed on cold reconstituted milk substitute at pasture.The milk feeding treatments were 4, 4½, 6½ and 9½ weeks in length, during which time calves consumed an average of 17, 23, 43 and 70 kg dry matter/head of milk substitute respectively. The differences between treatment mean live-weight gains for 10½ weeks of the experiment were highly significant (P < O·OOl): the gains were 0·49, 0·43, 0·64 and 0·78 kg/head/day. There was no significant difference between mean rates of live-weight gain after the tenth week so that the overall treatment—mean live-weight gains for the first 23 weeks, which were 0·65, 0·61, 0·72 and 0·74 kg/head/day, strongly reflected the length of the milk-feeding period and demonstrated no significant compensatory growth by the calves.Twenty of these animals were housed for the subsequent winter period and were returned to pasture for a second grazing season. These were artificially inseminated as their individual live weights reached approximately 320 kg. Animals weaned after only 4 weeks of milk feeding took an average of 9½ weeks longer to reach live weights of 320 kg than these receiving milk for 9½ weeks. There were no marked indications of compensatory growth during this extended period of observations.

Changes in the body composition of cattle exhibiting compensatory growth and the modifying effects of grazing management

1985 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Baker ◽  
N. E. Young ◽  
J. A. Laws
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
Agricultural Research Council ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Similar Weight ◽  
Gut Fill

AbstractFriesian steer calves born in August were reared from 3 to 7 months of age on either a low (OL) or high (OH) plane of nutrition. A further group born in October (YH) was also reared on a high plane. At grazing, the performance of calves of the same age but different weights (OL v. OH) or the same weight but different ages (OL v. YH) were compared at two levels of herbage allowance, either 30 or 60 kg dry matter per kg live weight. During the winter, the H groups received silage and concentrate and the L group was given silage only. The OL group had a higher concentration of fat and a lower concentration of water in the empty body at the end of the winter than did the OH and YH groups respectively.Compensatory growth was exhibited by the OL group at both herbage allowances. Differences in the live-weight and empty body-weight gains of OL and OH cattle could be explained almost entirely by differences in the energy content of the gains whereas this was only partially so when the OL and YH groups were compared. The results indicate that YH cattle had lower herbage intakes even though they were of similar weight to OL cattle.It was concluded that silage nitrogen is used less efficiently by cattle than is generally assumed and that the levels of gut fill and energy content of the live-weight gains in this experiment were not consistent with the general values suggested by the Agricultural Research Council (1980).

The production and management of Stylosanthes gracilis at Shika, Nigeria:II. In savanna grassland

1971 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Haggar ◽  
P. N. De Leeuw ◽  
E. Agishi
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Cotton Seed ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Early Growth ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Night Period

SUMMARYIn an 80 acres (32·4 ha) grazing trial carried out over a 2-year period significant increases in cattle live-weight gains were achieved following the oversowing of savanna grassland by 4 lb/acre (1·8 kg/ha) of Stylosanthes gracilis (stylo) seed. The beneficial effects of the stylo was particularly apparent during the early part of the dry season. The early growth and subsequent survival of the stylo was not outstanding.Better results were achieved in a second experiment where stylo was grown as a pure crop and ration-grazed in the dry season in association with unimproved savanna. The live-weight gain of cattle grazing the stylo only during the 12 h night period was the same as cattle receiving 1·8 lb (0·82 kg) whole cotton seed per day. In general, cattle live-weight gains were directly proportional to the time spent on the stylo.

The effect of a phosphorus supplement on the performance of steers grazing Townsville stylo-based pasture in north Queensland

1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (86) ◽  
pp. 357 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Winks ◽  
FC Lamberth ◽  
PK O'Rourke
Keyword(s):  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Townsville Stylo

The effect of phosphorus supplementation on the performance of steeres grazing unfertilized native pasture and Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) with andwithout superphosphate fertilizer on the subcoastal spear grass region of the dry tropics of north Queensland was studied over a period of 40 months. Liveweight gains in the absence of supplementation on fertilized Townsville stylo pastures were greater than on unfertilized Townsville stylo, where performance was similar to that recorded on untreated native pasture. Phosphorus supplementation increased weight gains during the wet season on both unfertilized Townsville stylo and native pasture but had no significant effect on dry season performance or performance on fertilized Townsville stylo. Fertilized areas became dominated by annual grasses, Digitaria ciliaris and Brachiaria milliiformis, and legume yields were higher on unfertilized than on fertilized areas. Fertilizer improved the quality of available pastures.

The use of hexoestrol for beef production from zebu cattle under ranch conditions in Tanganyika

1962 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Hutchison ◽  
J. M. Robb
Keyword(s):  
Growth Response ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Initial Response ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Significant Response ◽  
Zebu Cattle ◽  
Beef Production ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Dressing Percentage

1. Three groups of twenty, 3½ to 4-year-old zebu steers, replicated four times in each quarter of the year, were used to examine the effects of 30 and 45 mg. hexoestrol implants on their beef production, under ranch conditions in Tanganyika.2. Significant advantages in mean live-weight gains of 20·8–47·3 lb. for 30 mg., and 9·8–47·3 lb. for 45 mg., were obtained when treated at any time of the year; but during the dry-season implantation is contra-indicated as initial response is adverse although followed by pronounced recovery when pasture conditions improve.3. There was no significant difference between dosage rates in growth response, but on smaller steers, and as the pasture deteriorated, 45 mg. showed signs of being excessive.4. Duration of significant response was about 3 months during the period of adequate grazing, but was delayed to 5 months, and probably longer, during the dry season.5. Steers were slaughtered 6–9 months after implantation and at that time showed: no significant difference in dressing percentage, shrinkage in store, proportion of bone, or carcass grade; there was significantly less fat, and more lean, but increased proportion of moisture in the muscle accounted for the extra proportion of lean in the sample joints.Treated carcasses were significantly longer by 1·0% and highly significantly larger in circumference of hind quarter by 2·0%.

scholarly journals The effect of different pasture management strategies in north-west Queensland on liveweight gain and wool growth rate of several groups of young sheep.

1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
RGA Stephenson ◽  
DA Pritchard ◽  
PM Pepper ◽  
PT Connelly
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
North West ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Significant Difference

The effect of three different pasture management strategies on liveweight gain and wool growth rate of young(weaner) sheep was examined immediately after weaning on Mitchell grass-Flinders grass pastures during the dry season of north-west Queensland. The pasture management strategies were designed to mimic various industry situations, while the performance of four different progeny groups was compared and used to provide an overall assessment of pasture quality. Pasture treatments (experiment 1) consisted of three paddocks, a harvested (c. 8% of pasture harvested and baled) and spelled, a spelled, and a continuously grazed paddock. Spelled paddocks were not grazed during and after the wet season for a period of six months while the continuously grazed paddock was continuously stocked before the experiment. Experiment 2 consisted of spelled and continuously grazed paddocks. Pastures were evaluated by measuring the changes in composition and quality (experiment 1) and the responses in liveweight gain (experiments 1 and 2) and wool growth of the weaners (experiment 1). Marked improvements (c. 100%) in weaner growth rates occurred in the spelled paddocks. Greasy wool production by three groups of ewes in experiment I was about 14% greater in the harvested paddock than in the others. At the start of the trial there were no significant differences in dry matter yield but a significant difference in botanical composition occurred between paddocks. The changes in dry matter that occurred between the beginning and end of grazing were not significantly different between paddocks. Before gazing, forbs made up approximately 16%, 4% and 1% of pastures in harvested, spelled and continuously grazed paddocks respectively. The change in the percentage forbs that occurred between the beginning and end of the grazing period was significantly greater in the harvested paddock than in the other paddocks indicating preferential selection and intake by sheep. The differences in weaner live weight and wool growth between paddocks suggest that paddock management can improve weaner productivity. The study also indicates that paddock management could be successfully used to increase the percentage of forbs and quality of the pasture during the dry season. The superior wool growth of two progeny groups also suggests that improved productivity of breeding flocks in the tropics is possible if superior sheep can be identified. The results highlight the importance of preferential management of pasture for weaners so that productivity advantages can be exploited.

Supplementation of steers grazing Stylosanthes hamata pastures at Katherine, Northern Territory

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 669 ◽  
Author(s):  
WH Winter
Keyword(s):  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Fertility Level ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Active Growth ◽  
Weight Losses ◽  
Stylosanthes Hamata ◽  
Brahman Steers ◽  
Native Perennial Grass

Native perennial grass pastures were oversown with Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano at 3 fertility levels, i.e, without fertiliser or with suboptimal levels of superphosphate or rock phosphate. Brahman steers, of varying ages, grazed the pastures and their responses to fertility level and direct supplementation with phosphorus and sulfur were determined over 4 years. Phosphorus supplementation doubled liveweight gains during the early and late wet season periods to about 0.9 and 0-7 kg/day, respectively. Pasture fertility level did not affect gains in the early wet season in most years but superphosphate increased the late wet season gains by about 0.1 kg/day. Small weight losses usually occurred in all treatments during the early dry season, with losses increasing with animal age. Weight losses were highest during the late dry season, particularly for the older, phosphorus supplemented, steers. This response was attributed to size rather than to age or supplementation per se. Sulfur supplementation had no effect upon liveweight gain or upon the pastures at any time. In unfertilised pastures, Verano increased to about 25% of the dry matter composition whilst pastures fertilised with superphosphate and rock phosphate became legume dominant after 2 and 3 years, respectively. Fertiliser also increased the nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur concentrations in the forage, particularly the Verano, with superphosphate more effective than rock phosphate. In pastures where steers were supplemented with phosphorus there was a higher proportion of the naturalised legume Alysicarpus vaginalis and a lesser quantity of forage on offer. Blood inorganic phosphate and rib cortical thickness were reliable indicators of responsiveness of steers to phosphorus supplementation when measured during, or immediately after, the period of active growth.

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