scholarly journals Evolution in Configuration and Productivity of New Zealand Hill Country Sheep and Beef Cattle Systems

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 531
Author(s):  
Januarius Gobilik ◽  
Stephen Todd Morris ◽  
Cory Matthew
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Metabolic Energy ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Cattle Systems

Metabolic energy budgeting (MEB) was used to evaluate evolution over 30 years (1980–1981 to 2010–2011) in New Zealand southern North Island ‘hill country’ sheep and beef cattle systems. MEB calculates energy required by animals for body weight maintenance, weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and lactation to estimate the system feed demand and thereby provide a basis for calculating feed conversion efficiency. Historic production systems were reconstructed and modeled using averaged data from industry surveys and data from owners’ diaries of three case-study farms and reviewed for patterns of change over time. The modeling indicated that pasture productivity was 11% lower and herbage harvested was 14% lower in 2010–2011 than in the early 1980s. This productivity decline is attributable to warmer, drier summer weather in recent years. However, primarily through increased lambing percentage, feed conversion efficiency based on industry data improved over the study period from 25 to 19 kg feed consumed per kg lamb weaned, while meat production rose from 137 to 147 kg per ha per year. Similar improvements were observed for the three case farms. The New Zealand MEB model was found effective for analysis of tropical beef production systems in Sabah, Malaysia.

A note on the implantation of intensively-fed beef cattle with hexoestrol

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Macdearmid ◽  
T. R. Preston
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Fat Content ◽  
Crude Protein Content ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Single Implant

SUMMARYIn the first of two experiments, steers which received a single implant of 60 mg hexoestrol grew 24% faster than non-implanted controls and 7% faster than steers given 30 mg. The growth rate of the steers given a single implant of 60 mg did not differ significantly from that of animals implanted twice with 30 mg or 5 times with 15 mg. In the second experiment, steers given 60 mg grew 23% faster than controls and their feed conversion efficiency was 13% better; the hexoestrol treatment resulted in a saving of 131 kg feed per animal. The tenth-rib joints of steers given 60 mg had a higher crude-protein content and lower fat content than those from non-implanted animals.

Growth, feed intake and maternal performance of Angus heifers from high and low feed efficiency selection lines

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1428 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. T. Morris ◽  
F. Y. Chan ◽  
N. Lopez-Villalobos ◽  
P. R. Kenyon ◽  
D. J. Garrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
High Feed ◽  
Maternal Performance ◽  
Angus Heifers

Feed conversion efficiency is an important factor affecting profitability for cow-calf production systems. One method of characterising feed conversion efficiency is by calculating residual feed intake (RFI), the difference between measured and expected feed intakes. A high RFI value indicates low feed efficiency while a low RFI value indicates high feed efficiency. The present experiment used 49 Angus heifers sired by Angus bulls selected for high or low RFI. The progeny were bred on commercial farms and then transferred to Massey University at weaning at ~200 days of age. The heifers were weighed at ~30-day intervals and were mated at 15 months, calved at 2 years old and reared their calf to ~160 days of age. Each heifer had recorded its own liveweight gain (from its weaning to weaning of its first calf), herbage intake at 350 and 450 days of age using the n-alkane technique and maternal performance (calf production). These records were analysed to estimate the RFI of each heifer, and to determine differences in RFI between selection lines. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in liveweight or dry matter requirements between selection lines at Day 350, but differences were significant (P < 0.05) at Day 450 such that the high feed efficiency line were 24.6 kg heavier and required an extra 0.32 kg/head.day of herbage. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the two lines in herbage intake or RFI measured at either Days 350 or 450. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in pregnancy rates, calf birth dates or birthweights, estimated 24-h milk production or calf weaning weights between the two lines. This experiment shows that beef cattle selected for low RFI have higher growth rates and heavier liveweights than cattle selected for high RFI; both lines had similar calf production at first breeding.

The Use of Sodium Bicarbonate in Barley Beef Diets

1988 ◽  
Vol 1988 ◽  
pp. 57-57
Author(s):  
D.R. Neilson ◽  
B.G. Lowman ◽  
H. Parkinson ◽  
J.W. Browne ◽  
E.A. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Bicarbonate ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Feed Additives ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Growth Promoters ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency

Feed accounts for over 75 per cent of the variable costs in beef production systems. Any improvement in feed conversion efficiency will therefore have a beneficial effect on enterprise profitability. Growth promoters are commonly used to improve animal performance by increasing liveweight gain and/or improving feed conversion efficiency. With the recent ban on hormone implants in EEC countries, more emphasis has been put on the use of feed additives to improve performance.Producer experience would suggest that the routine inclusion of sodium bicarbonate into barley beef rations can show beneficial responses in terms of animal performance. The magnitude of these responses is not well quantified, nor is the potential interaction between sodium bicarbonate and other feed additives.Rogers and Davis (1982) reported that sodium bicarbonate decreases the in vivo production rate of propionate, decreases retention time of liquids and alters digestibility of nutrients. Increasing ruminal bypass of nutrients may improve utilisation by altering the site of digestion with a subsequent improvement in animal performance. Rogers and Davis (1982) also described the effect of monensin; which increased in vivo ruminal production of propionate, increased ruminal retention time of solids and liquids and improved digestibility of nutrients.

scholarly journals INTENSIVE BEEF AND SHEEP PRODUCTION

1970 ◽  
pp. 168-180
Author(s):  
J.P. Joyce
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Potential Production ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Sheep Production

An experiment is described in which the comparative productivity per acre has been measured using three classes of stockbreeding ewes, webhers and dairy beef cattle. Results have been expressed in terms of pasture production, feed Intakes, feed conversion efficiency, and output of meat and wool Per acre. These results ,have been discussed with particular reference to the potential production levels of various classes of livestock on a per-acre basis.

Whole-grain feeding for chicken-meat production: possible mechanisms driving enhanced energy utilisation and feed conversion

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Yun Liu ◽  
Ha H. Truong ◽  
Peter H. Selle
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Chicken Meat ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Whole Grain ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Causative Factors ◽  
Feed Costs

The practice of offering some whole grain to broiler chickens alongside a balancing concentrate is meeting increasing acceptance in certain regions, including Europe, Canada and Australia. Whole-grain feeding (WGF) regimes provide economic advantages by effectively reducing feed costs but, to varying extents, WGF regimes also generate improvements in energy utilisation and feed conversion efficiency. However, the context in which these improvements are best realised has yet to be defined adequately. The outstanding response to WGF is the development of heavier relative gizzard weights; however, the causative factors and biophysical and biochemical consequences of heavier, and presumably more functional, gizzards have not been properly investigated. It follows that heavier gizzards would enhance the initiation of protein digestion by pepsin and hydrochloric acid and facilitate amylase-induced starch digestion in the small intestine by the prior physical disruption of starch granules. However, it appears that improvements realised by WGF in energy utilisation and feed efficiency cannot be attributed entirely to heavier gizzards. One alternative or additional possibility is that WGF may influence starch digestive dynamics and provide more gradually or slowly digestible starch, which would benefit energy utilisation and feed efficiency. However, if this is the case, the genesis of this provision is not clear, although it may be associated with larger grain particle sizes and/or increased episodes of reverse peristalsis, but not retarded gut passage rates. The present paper reviews the essentially positive impacts of WGF on energy utilisation and feed conversion efficiency and considers the contexts in which these responses may be best realised and the possible mechanisms driving better performance under WGF regimes for chicken-meat production.

scholarly journals An overview of current and potential hill country livestock systems

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 309-315
Author(s):  
S.T. Morris ◽  
R.E. Hickson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Cattle Production ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Sheep Meat ◽  
Current Production ◽  
Beef Cattle Production ◽  
Livestock Systems

This paper reviews current production trends for sheep and beef cattle production in New Zealand and gives some insight into the opportunities for improvement. The New Zealand climate favours pasture growth and this is the key to sheep and beef cattle production with over 95% of the diet being grazed pasture or crop. Exports are the focus of the industry with 92% of sheep meat and 82% of beef exported. There has been a 72% increase in sheep meat production since 1990, but there still remains opportunity for further increases through breeding sheep at an earlier age, increasing the weight of lambs weaned per ewe per year, increased efficiency of breeding cows and utilisation of calves from the dairy industry for beef production. Keywords: Sheep meat, beef cattle, pasture, intensification, environment

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