The effect of frequency of harvesting grass for silage and level of concentrate supplementation on the intake and performance of beef cattle

1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. J. Steen ◽  
W. A. McIlmoyle
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Cutting Interval ◽  
The Mean ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Block Experiment

ABSTRACTA randomized-block experiment has been carried out over 2 consecutive years to examine the effects of frequency of harvesting grass for silage, and level of concentrate supplementation, on the intake and performance of beef cattle. Swards of S24 perennial ryegrass were harvested at 6-, 9- and 12-week intervals throughout the growing season, commencing on 14 May, 4 June and 25 June respectively. The three silages were offered ad libitum with 0, 1, 2 or 3 kg per head per day of cereal-based concentrates to 84 Hereford-cross suckled calves (mean initial live weight 313 kg) in a 3 × 4 factorial design experiment in each year. The treatments were imposed for a mean period of 100 days. The digestible organic matter in the dry-matter values of the silages harvested at 6-, 9- and 12-week intervals were 0·684, 0·646 and 0·607 respectively. The mean silage dry-matter intakes and live-weight gains for the silages harvested at 6-, 9- and 12-week intervals were 4·75, 4·70 and 4·74 (s.e. 0·08) kg/day, and 0·75, 0·67 and 0·52 (s.e. 0·020) kg/day, respectively. The mean silage dry-matter intakes and live-weight gains for the supplement at 0, 1, 2 and 3kg/day were 5·23, 4·79, 4·72 and 4·17 (s.e. 009)kg/day, and 0·38, 0·57, 0·75 and 0·88 (s.e. 0·023) kg/day, respectively. There was a significant interaction between cutting interval and level of supplementation for live-weight gain, the response to supplementation declining as silage digestibility increased.

Effect of silage additives on the intake and performance of male calves and steers

1976 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. McIlmoyle
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Acid Mixture ◽  
Feeding Experiments ◽  
Mixed Breed ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Silage Additives

SUMMARYIn two feeding experiments, an untreated silage which had received no additive was compared with silages which had received either formic acid (‘Add-F’) or a formalin and sulphuric acid mixture (‘Sylade’). The ‘Add-F’ was applied at the rate of 3·81/t and ‘Sylade’ at the rate of 3·1 1/t of fresh herbage harvested from a perennial ryegrass and white clover sward.The silages were offered ad libitum to 30 British Friesian male calves (mean fasted live weight 97 kg) in Experiment 1 and to 27 steers (mean fasted live weight 320 kg) of mixed breed in Experiment 2. Concentrate was offered to the animals in Experiment 1 at the rate of 0·86 kg dry matter/head per day.In each experiment the intakes of dry matter and digestible organic matter were higher from the additive-treated silages than from untreated silage.In Experiment 1 the application of ‘Sylade’ increased significantly (P < 0·05) the mean daily unfasted live-weight gain (0·87 kg/day) over that for animals offered untreated silage (0·74 kg/day). In Experiment 2 the mean daily unfasted live-weight gains from ‘Sylade’-treated (0·70 kg/day) and ‘Add-F’-treated silage (0·78 kg/day) were significantly higher (P<0·01) than that from untreated silage (0·38 kg/day).

The effect of wilting of herbage on silage composition and its feeding value for milk production

1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Significant Depression ◽  
Feeding Value ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Block Experiment

ABSTRACTA randomized block experiment was used to assess the effects of wilting of herbage prior to ensiling. Three silages, each a composite of three harvests taken over the season, were prepared by ensiling herbage as unwilted, medium-wilted or high-wilted material with mean dry-matter contents in the resulting silages of 192, 254 and 455g/kg respectively. The silages were ensiled in bunker silos using the same harvesting machinery and with formic acid applied at the rate of 2 81/t of herbage. The silages were offered to 81 January- and February-calving cows from the 8th day post partum until going to pasture on 27 April, with a mean period on treatmen t of 92 days. In addition, all animals received a fixed concentrate allowance of 7·6 kg/day. Wilting increased silage dry-matter intake, the mean intakes being 9·2, 9·4 and 10·0kg/day for the unwilted, medium-wilted and high-wilted material respectively, but resulted in a significant depression in milk yield, with the yields obtained during the final 14 days on treatment being 23·6, 21 -8 and 21·5kg/day respectively. Milk composition, live weight, body condition, total ration digestibility and nitrogen-balance data are also presented.

The voluntary intake by cattle of four silages differing in dry matter content

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Jackson ◽  
T. J. Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Meadow Fescue ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Daily Intakes

SUMMARYHerbage from the same timothy/meadow fescue/white clover sward was ensiled at four different dry matter contents. The resulting silages had dry matter contents of 19·0, 27·3, 32·3 and 43·2%, the dry matter content increasing with the length of the wilting period. An experiment was carried out to determine the voluntary intake of the silages. Each silage was given to 7 animals individually, the mean live weight of these being 334 kg.Although the silages made from wilted herbage were lower in digestibility than that made from unwilted herbage, wilting increased dry matter intake and metabolizable energy (ME) intake. The mean daily intakes of digestible organic matter were 53·0, 58·1, 59·6 and 59·6 g/kgW0·73, for silages of increasing dry matter content. The corresponding ME intakes, expressed as a multiple of the ME requirement for maintenance, were 1·17, 1·29, 1·30 and 1·28. The percentage of acetic acid in the silage dry matter was significantly (r= −0·56) and linearly related to voluntary intake. The relationship between lactic acid concentration and voluntary intake was significantly curvilinear (r= 0·48).

The use of coarsely milled barley straw in finishing diets for young beef cattle

1969 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Forbes ◽  
A. M. Raven ◽  
J. H. D. Irwin
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Barley Straw ◽  
Finishing Diets ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Linear Decline

SummaryAn experiment was carried out in which young beef cattle were given diets containing different levels of coarsely milled (1 in screen) barley straw. The proportions of straw used were 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 % and the performance of animals on these diets was compared with that of similar animals on an all concentrate diet. Each diet was given ad libitum to six animals. There was a significant linear decline in live-weight gain with increasing straw intake, the rate of decline being 0·62 ± 0·133 kg per week for each 10 % increase in the level of straw in the diet. The dry matter conversion ratio increased linearly with increasing straw intake, the rate of increase being 0·65 ± 0·186 units for each 10 % increase in straw in the diet. Dry matter intake was significantly (P < 0·001) affected by the proportion of straw in the diet. Although dry matter intake increased to a maximum at a level of 18·8% straw in the diet there was no significant increase in the intake of digestible organic matter (DOMI). There was a significant (P < 0·001) linear decline of 0·19 ± 0·04 kg DOMI with each 10% increase in straw in the diet. There was a significant linear decline in chilled carcase weight to the extent of 5·7 ± 0·096 kg for each 10% increase in straw. The killing-out percentage based on unfasted live weight declined significantly as the percentage of straw in the diet rose from 20 to 30%. However, when the killing-out percentage was calculated on the basis of live weight at slaughter less rumen contents there was no significant difference between treatments.

Effect of winter environment on growth of young beef cattle 1. Effects of exposure during winter to rain or wind and rain combined on performance of 9-month-old Friesian steers fed on two planes of nutrition

1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. McCarrick ◽  
M. J. Drennan
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Weight Gains

SUMMARYThree experiments were conducted to compare the performance of 9-month-old Friesian steers wintered in three environments, (a) conventional cattle houses, (b) wind-sheltered roofless sawdust pads and (c) unsheltered roofless sawdust pads. Within each environment animals were fed on two planes of nutrition.In each experiment, winter live-weight gains of animals accommodated on the three winter environments were similar as were weight changes during the subsequent four weeks at grass in Experiments 2 and 3.No interaction on live-weight gain was found between plane of nutrition and winter environment. Health of outwintered animals was good throughout. The response to feeding barley with hay in these experiments (obtained by comparing low-plane with high-plane treatment groups) showed that on average 5·5 kg of barley dry matter were required to produce 1 kg of additional live-weight gain above that obtained from hay fed alone.

The effect of level of concentrate supplementation in winter and grazing allowance on the milk production and financial performance of spring-calving cows

1986 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Reeve ◽  
W. Thompson ◽  
R. G. Hodson ◽  
R. D. Baker ◽  
A. J. P. Carswell
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Proportional Increase ◽  
Grazing Area ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Gross Margins ◽  
Proportional Reduction

ABSTRACTAn experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial design was used to assess the effects of offering either 6 (L6) or 12 (H12) kg concentrates daily from day 13 of lactation until turnout to grazing with grass silage (600 to 620 g digestible organic matter per kg dry matter (DM)) ad libitum and either ad libitum (G) or restricted (g) quantities of grass from turnout to the end of August. In each of 3 years, 60 to 70 January- to March-calving British Friesian cows were used. From calving until turnout to grazing the mean daily DM intakes of silage were 7·2 and 8·9 kg, and of concentrates 8·5 and 4·9 kg for the H12 and L6 groups respectively, giving a mean substitution rate of 0·47 kg silage DM per kg concentrate DM. Mean daily milk yields were 26·7 and 22·9 kg giving a direct response of 0·85 kg/kg additional concentrate DM. Milk from the L6 group had a higher fat concentration and these cows were also lighter at the end of the winter. At pasture, there were no significant interactions for milk variates between winter treatments and grass availability. The stocking rate of cows with restricted grass availability was 0·33 higher from turnout to the end of August. It resulted in a 0·10 proportional reduction in milk yield per cow but per ha there was a 0·21 proportional increase. At pasture, the H12 cows gave more milk at both grass availabilities. The total responses to concentrates were 1·59 and 2·11 kg milk per kg concentrate DM at the ad libitum and restricted grass availabilities respectively. The good response to concentrate coupled with a 0·35 cow per ha increase in annual stocking rate as a result of restricting the grazing area ensured that gross margins and grass utilization were highest for the H12g cows. Conception rates were similar on all treatments and there were no significant differences in live weight at the end of lactation.

The utilization of dried forage crops by growing ruminants

1977 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-218
Author(s):  
M. J. Owers ◽  
H. Swan ◽  
B. Wilton
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Bean Meal ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Soya Bean Meal

SUMMARYMixtures (1: 1) of whole-crop dried wheat or barley, with peas or beans as a nitrogen supplement, were fed ad libitum to four groups of 16 6-mo-old male castrate sheep for a period of 42 days in 1971. The mean dry-matter consumptions (kg/day) and live-weight gains (g/day) were: wheat+peas 1·69, 264; wheat+beans 2·05, 288; barley+peas 1·80, 282; and barley+beans 1·81, 229. This experiment was repeated in 1972. The differences between treatments were non-significant.Dried pelleted whole-crop maize was fed ad libitum to British Friesian steers for 90 days, in conjunction with molasses and one of three protein sources, soya bean meal, urea or whole crop beans. The dry-matter intakes (kg/day) and live-weight gains (kg) were: maize+soya 9·68, 1·26; maize+urea 9·38, 10·4; and maize+beans 9·72, 1·15.Dried maize in conjunction with urea, whole crop beans and dried grass to supply crude protein levels between 9 and 11% was fed to 48 Hereford × British Friesian steers. The dry-matter intakes (kg/day) and live-weight gains (kg/day) were: whole crop maize, 8·35, 0·87; whole crop maize+urea, 9·55, 1·0; whole crop maize+whole crop beans, 7·44, 0·70; whole crop maize+dried grass, 8·94, 1·15; whole crop maize+rolled barley, 9·30, 1·23; and dried grass + rolled barley, 9·24, 1·21. Although there was no significant difference in live-weight gain between the treatments, two levels of performance were apparent.

The effect of dried grass and cereal-based concentrate on the voluntary intake of unwilted grass silage

1977 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. McIlmoyle ◽  
J. C. Murdoch
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Crude Fibre ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Different Levels

SUMMARYTwo 7 × 7 Latin square experiments were carried out with British Friesian steers (mean initial live weight 360 kg). In Experiment 1 the effects of different levels of dried grass or concentrate on the intake of silage dry matter (DM) were compared, and in Experiment 2 the effect of a supplement containing various proportions of dried grass: concentrate on the intake of silage DM was examined. In both experiments the digestibility of the ration and the rate of passage of digesta were measured.In Experiment 1, supplementation depressed intake of silage DM, the difference being significant (P<0·05) at 5·0 and 7·5 kg/day, but there were no significant differences in silage intake between supplements given at the same level. Intake of silage was also significantly lower (P<0·05) in Experiment 2 when a supplement was offered, but differences between supplements were not significant. Total DM intake was increased significantly (P<00·5) by supplementation in both experiments. Supplementation increased energy digestibility but decreased crude fibre digestibility. In Experiment 1 nitrogen digestibility was significantly lower (P<0·05) with dried grass than with concentrate supplementation, but in Experiment 2 supplementation increased the digestibility of nitrogen. In both experiments the mean retention time was shorter, the time for the highest rate of excretion of stained particles was lower, and the maximum rate of excretion higher for dried grass than for silage.

Studies on the intake and utilization of wet feed by calves

1974 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Fitzgerald ◽  
M. Kay
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Main Site ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
The Mean

SUMMARYA latin square design with three periods of 3 weeks was used to measure the dry-matter intake, live-weight gain and water intake of 12 British Friesian calves offered an all-concentrate diet ad libitumin wet form. The diets contained 30% (B), 20% (C) or 15% (D) dry matter. A further six calves were given the same diet in dry form (A) throughout the experimental period. Digestibility and nitrogen balance were measured on four calves on each treatment at the end of the experimental period. In addition, two Ayrshire calves, each fitted with a permanent abomasal cannula, were used to study the site of digestion of the feed when given in dry or wet form.The mean dry-matter intakes of the calves given the dry and wet feeds were 75·5 and 80·8 g/kg W0·75 per day respectively and mean daily live-weight gains were 849 g for the calves on both types of feed. The mean dry-matter intakes of the calves given the wet diets were 80·9 (B), 81·2 (C) and 75·5 (D) g/kg W0·75 per day, and the live-weight gains (g/day) were 857 (B), 879 (C) and 812 (D). None of these differences were significant. The intake of water by the calves was significantly increased by reducing the dry-matter content of the diet. The form or dry-matter content of the diet offered had no effect on the digestibility of dry matter (76·1%), organic matter (77·9%), energy (75·8%) or crude protein (75·8%) or on nitrogen retention (32·5% of N intake).The rumen was the main site of digestion for all Tour diets and an average of only 7% of dietary starch passed undigested through the abomasum.

Legume silages as supplements to a maize silage plus urea diet for young calves

1980 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-364
Author(s):  
D. M. Bowden ◽  
D. F. Osbourn ◽  
Margaret Gill ◽  
B. G. Gibbs
Keyword(s):  
Formic Acid ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Fish Meal ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Acid Diet ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter

ABSTRACTForty British Friesian calves aged approximately 90 days, mean initial live weight 107 kg, were divided into five groups and the animals in each group offered, ad libitum for 84 days, one of five diets based on maize silage. The basal diet of maize silage and 20 g urea/kg dry matter (diet 1) was supplemented with fish meal at 47 g/kg dry matter (diet 2) or with legume silage supplements at 310 g silage dry matter/kg dry matter. The silage supplements were red clover ensiled with formic acid (diet 3), red clover ensiled with formic acid plus formaldehyde at 30 g/kg crude protein (diet 4), or sainfoin ensiled with formic acid (diet 5). Diets 1 to 5 contained 23·7, 28·8, 28·3, 28·3, and 27·1 g total nitrogen/kg dry matter respectively.The proportion of the total nitrogen insoluble in water, an indicator of the protein in the diet that was likely to escape degradation in the rumen, was 273, 356, 377, 413 and 339 g/kg for diets 1 to 5 respectively. Increasing the proportion of insoluble nitrogen in the diet by including fish meal or formaldehyde-treated red clover silage improved rates of live-weight gain and efficiency of feed conversion. Mean daily intakes of 15·2, 16·2, 16·2, 15·4 and 15·8 g digestible organic matter/kg live weight produced daily live-weight gains of 0·79, 1·05, 0·88, 0·93 and 0·83 kg/head by calves on diets 1 to 5 respectively. Diet 2 produced live-weight gains and gains per kg of digestible organic matter intake that were greater than those for diets 1, 3 or 5 (P<0·05), but not significantly greater than those for diet 4 (P<0·05). Calf live-weight gains were similar and satisfactory on the basal diet (maize silage and urea) and the diets with formic acid-preserved silage of red clover or sainfoin, but poorer than on the diet with 47 g fish meal/kg diet dry matter (P<0·05).

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