The role of beef breeding cows in strategic management of feed supply under pasture variability

The ability of the beef cow to buffer herself against pasture variability by losing liveweight at certain periods in the production cycle is reviewed. The point is made that this attribute of the beef cow can be used to buffer other enterprises on the farm less able to cope with variability in pasture feed supply. It is suggested that a farm livestock policy should include livestock classes like the beef cow which, because of their ability to buffer against variability in pasture feed supply,canresultinamoreefficient, and more economic use of pasture on the farm. Keywords Beef cow, nutrition, pasture variability, flexibility, buffering capacity, risk management