The effect of altering the plane of nutrition during different stages of the life cycle on beef cattle performance

The future economic viability of beef production will require improved efficiency, reduced costs of production and ultimately cost-efficient carcass gain throughout the lifetime of the animal. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of plane of nutrition during the first winter growth phase, turnout date, stocking rate, concentrate supplementation at pasture and second winter finishing phase on lifetime performance.

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Preliminary effects of altering plane of nutrition during different stages of the life cycle, and gender, on beef cattle performance

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200009133 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 2005 ◽

pp. 2-2 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

T.W.J. Keady ◽

R.M. Kirkland ◽

D.J. Kilpatrick

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Beef Cattle ◽

Agricultural Policy ◽

Free Market ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Concentrate Supplementation ◽

Effective Performance ◽

The Common ◽

And Gender

Post Mid Term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy, beef production must survive in a subsidy-free, market led environment. It is essential that producers increase final carcass value by achieving cost effective performance from birth to slaughter. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of plane of nutrition during the growing and finishing indoor feeding periods, and stocking rate and concentrate supplementation at pasture on the performance of steers and heifers from weaning to finishing.

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Evaluation of nitrogen fertiliser in a beef production system

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.1990.51.1922 ◽

1990 ◽

pp. 89-92

Author(s):

S.T. Morris ◽

A.F. Mcfrae

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Production System ◽

Individual Animal ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Beef Production ◽

Pasture Production ◽

Nitrogen Fertiliser ◽

Stocking Rates ◽

Objective Being ◽

Clover Content

This paper reports and discusses the results of 4 years of trials (1985-1988) involving 2 farmlets, one receiving 3 nitrogen applications (50 kg /ha) in autumn, winter and spring (+N) and one receiving no N fertiliser (-N). Stocking rags were 3.3 animals/ha on -N farmlet and 4.3 animals/ha on the +N farmlet for the first 3 years, with the objective being to utilise the extra N-boosted grass with extra animals/ha but not to sacrifice individual animal performance. In the fourth year the stocking rates were kept the same on each farmlet (3.3 animals/ha) in an endeavour to utilise the extra grass grown on the +N farmlet by way of increased per head performance. In 2 of the 3 years (1985 and 1987) where the +N farmlet supported the higher stocking rate, liveweight gain (LWG) did not differ between animals. In 1986 the extra animals on the -l-N farmlet had a lower LWG, whereas in 1988 the LWGs were similar for the 2 farmlets stocked at the same rate. The apparent DM responses (kg DM/kg N applied) ranged from 2 to 12. The rates of N fertiliser used in this trial do not appear to result in economic increases in pasture production for the beef production system reported here. Nitrogen fertiliser did not reduce the clover content of pastures rotationally grazed by beef cattle. Keywords beef production, nitrogen fertiliser, pasture composition, livewieght gain, economics.

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Influence of climate variability and stocking strategies on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), production and profit of a northern Queensland beef cattle herd

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an15608 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 58 (6) ◽

pp. 990 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brendan R. Cullen ◽

Neil D. MacLeod ◽

Joe C. Scanlan ◽

Natalie Doran-Browne

Keyword(s):

Climate Variability ◽

Beef Cattle ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Production Systems ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Northern Australia ◽

Beef Production ◽

Gas Emissions ◽

River Region

Previous studies of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) from beef production systems in northern Australia have been based on models of ‘steady-state’ herd structures that do not take into account the considerable inter-annual variation in liveweight gain, reproduction and mortality rates that occurs due to seasonal conditions. Nor do they consider the implications of flexible stocking strategies designed to adapt these production systems to the highly variable climate. The aim of the present study was to quantify the variation in total GHGE (t CO2e) and GHGE intensity (t CO2e/t liveweight sold) for the beef industry in northern Australia when variability in these factors was considered. A combined GRASP–Enterprise modelling platform was used to simulate a breeding–finishing beef cattle property in the Burdekin River region of northern Queensland, using historical climate data from 1982–2011. GHGE was calculated using the method of Australian National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Five different stocking-rate strategies were simulated with fixed stocking strategies at moderate and high rates, and three flexible stocking strategies where the stocking rate was adjusted annually by up to 5%, 10% or 20%, according to pasture available at the end of the growing season. Variation in total annual GHGE was lowest in the ‘fixed moderate’ (~9.5 ha/adult equivalent (AE)) stocking strategy, ranging from 3799 to 4471 t CO2e, and highest in the ‘fixed high’ strategy (~5.9 ha/AE), which ranged from 3771 to 7636 t CO2e. The ‘fixed moderate’ strategy had the least variation in GHGE intensity (15.7–19.4 t CO2e/t liveweight sold), while the ‘flexible 20’ strategy (up to 20% annual change in AE) had the largest range (10.5–40.8 t CO2e/t liveweight sold). Across the five stocking strategies, the ‘fixed moderate’ stocking-rate strategy had the highest simulated perennial grass percentage and pasture growth, highest average rate of liveweight gain (121 kg/steer), highest average branding percentage (74%) and lowest average breeding-cow mortality rate (3.9%), resulting in the lowest average GHGE intensity (16.9 t CO2e/t liveweight sold). The ‘fixed high’ stocking rate strategy (~5.9 ha/AE) performed the poorest in each of these measures, while the three flexible stocking strategies were intermediate. The ‘fixed moderate’ stocking strategy also yielded the highest average gross margin per AE carried and per hectare. These results highlight the importance of considering the influence of climate variability on stocking-rate management strategies and herd performance when estimating GHGE. The results also support a body of previous work that has recommended the adoption of moderate stocking strategies to enhance the profitability and ecological stability of beef production systems in northern Australia.

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BEEF PRODUCTION FROM LUCERNE AND LUCERNE/PRAIRIE GRASS SWARDS ON THE PUMICE SOILS OF THE TAUPO REGION

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.1977.39.1483 ◽

1977 ◽

pp. 53-60

Author(s):

K. Marsh ◽

L.F.C. Brunswick

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Significant Interaction ◽

Animal Production ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Beef Production ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Prairie Grass ◽

Grazing Period ◽

Stocking Rates

Lucerne and lucerne/prairie grass swards were compared at three stocking rates using yearling beef cattle. A 35 day rotational grazing system was used and the experiment ran for 130 days from early October, 1976. Pasture DM yields were higher on the mixed sward but animal production was greater on the lucerne only sward, particularly from December onwards. Increasing stocking rate tended to reduce herbage DM yield and per-animal production. There was no significant interaction between sward type and stocking rate on either sward or animal yield. Lucerne and lucerne/ prairie grass swards on pumice soil compared favourably with fertile Waikato permanent pastures in terms of carcass gain per hectare over the grazing period.

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Preliminary effects of altering plane of nutrition during different stages of the life cycle, and gender, on meat quality of beef cattle

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200010851 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 2005 ◽

pp. 174-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

F. O. Lively ◽

T. W. J. Keady ◽

D. J. Kilpatrick ◽

B. W. Moss

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Free Market ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Concentrate Supplementation ◽

Effective Performance ◽

Beef Producers ◽

And Gender

Cost effective performance from birth to slaughter must be achieved in order for beef producers to maximise income and survive in a subsidy-free, market led environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of gender, plane of nutrition during the growing and finishing indoor feeding periods, and stocking rate and concentrate supplementation from weaning to finishing on meat quality.

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A freeze-fracture-etched study of the physarum polycephalum plasma membrane during early formation of the macroplasmodial stage

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100147570 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 346-347

Author(s):

Randolph W. Taylor ◽

Henrie Treadwell

Keyword(s):

Plasma Membrane ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Growth Phase ◽

Filter Paper ◽

Physarum Polycephalum ◽

Freeze Fracture ◽

Petri Dish ◽

Wire Screen ◽

Wide Mouth ◽

Sterile Filter

The plasma membrane of the Slime Mold, Physarum polycephalum, process unique morphological distinctions at different stages of the life cycle. Investigations of the plasma membrane of P. polycephalum, particularly, the arrangements of the intramembranous particles has provided useful information concerning possible changes occurring in higher organisms. In this report Freeze-fracture-etched techniques were used to investigate 3 hours post-fusion of the macroplasmodia stage of the P. polycephalum plasma membrane.Microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum (M3C), axenically maintained, were collected in mid-expotential growth phase by centrifugation. Aliquots of microplasmodia were spread in 3 cm circles with a wide mouth pipette onto sterile filter paper which was supported on a wire screen contained in a petri dish. The cells were starved for 2 hrs at 24°C. After starvation, the cells were feed semidefined medium supplemented with hemin and incubated at 24°C. Three hours after incubation, samples were collected randomly from the petri plates, placed in plancettes and frozen with a propane-nitrogen jet freezer.

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Productive performance and economic viability of beef cattle subjected to different castration methods in the Western Amazon

Livestock Science ◽

10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104633 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104633

Author(s):

Maykel Franklin Lima Sales ◽

Bruna Laurindo Rosa ◽

Alan Burin Palu ◽

Gerbson Francisco Nogueira Maia ◽

Lucas Almeida Miranda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Economic Viability ◽

Productive Performance

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Assessing the economic viability of integrated crop−livestock systems in Mato Grosso, Brazil

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170519000280 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 631-642 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Júlio César dos Reis ◽

Mariana Y. T. Kamoi ◽

Daniel Latorraca ◽

Rafael F. F. Chen ◽

Miqueias Michetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Production System ◽

Net Present Value ◽

Livestock Grazing ◽

Economic Viability ◽

Continuous Cropping ◽

Cattle Production ◽

Study Region ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Livestock Systems

AbstractPopulation growth and rising incomes have led to increasing global demand for meat products. Meeting this demand without converting remaining natural ecosystems or further degrading ecosystems is one of the largest global sustainability challenges. A critical step to overcoming this challenge is to increase the productivity of livestock grazing systems, which occupy the largest land area of any type of agriculture globally. Integrated crop−livestock systems (iCL), which re-couple crop and livestock production at the farm scale, have been considered a promising strategy to tackle this challenge by restoring degraded pasturelands and providing supplemental nutrition to livestock. However, few studies have analyzed the economic viability of such systems, especially in Brazil, an important player in global food systems. This paper presents an economic analysis of iCL in Mato Grosso, Brazil, the largest grain and beef producer in the country, which spans the ecologically diverse Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. We compare the economic performance of an integrated soybean/corn and beef cattle system to a continuous crop (soybean/corn) system and a continuous livestock (beef cattle) production system from 2005 to 2012. We use empirical case study data to characterize a ‘typical’ farm for each production system within the study region. We find that the integrated crop−livestock system has a higher annual net present value (NPV) per hectare (ha) than continuous cropping or livestock under a range of discount rates. However, under a scenario of substantially higher crop prices, the continuous cropping outperforms iCL. While iCL is not feasible in all regions of the Amazon and Cerrado, our results indicate that in places where the biophysical and market conditions are suitable for production, it could be a highly profitable way to intensify cattle production and potentially spare land for other uses, including conservation. Nevertheless, additional credit and technical support may be needed to overcome high upfront costs and informational barriers to increase iCL areas as a sustainable development strategy for agriculture in the Amazon and Cerrado regions.

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