Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T20:22:40.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of level of barley supplementation on the performance of continental × Holstein Friesian bulls given grass silage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. F. Grundy ,
R. Hardy  and
M. H. Davies
H. F. Grundy
Affiliation:
ADAS Rosemaund, Preston Wynne, Hereford HR1 3PG
R. Hardy
Affiliation:
ADAS Boxworth, Boxworth, Cambridge CB3 8NN
M. H. Davies
Affiliation:
ADAS Rosemaund, Preston Wynne, Hereford HR1 3PG
Get access

Abstract

Forty Charolais and 40 Limousin × Holstein Friesian bulls, 8 months old and weighing 315 kg live weight at the start of the experiment, were given grass silage to appetite throughout.

From 315 to 425 kg live weight they received: no supplement (S0), 1 kg (S1), 2 kg (S2) or 4 kg (S4) of a rolled barley supplement per head per day. After a mean treatment live weight of 425 kg had been achieved for each breed, the daily supplement of all treatments was changed to 3 kg of rolled barley per head per day until individual animals were adjudged to have attained a European Community (EC) external fatness score of 3 to 4L, at which point they were slaughtered.

Daily growth rates from 315 to 425 kg live weight were 0·67, 0·82, 0·94 and 1·25 (s.e.d. 0·042) kg for treatments S0, S1, S2 and S4 respectively. Following the change of supplement rate at 425 kg live weight, daily gains were 1·46, 1·36, 1·27 and 1·16 (s.e.d. 0·051) kg/day, giving overall gains of 0·99, 1·05, 1·08 and 1·19 (s.e.d. 0·033) kg/day respectively. The numbers of days taken to achieve slaughter condition from the start of the trial at 315 kg were 277, 251, 243 and 207 (s.e.d. 5·3) days respectively. Bulls were slaughtered at 17·0, 16·2, 15·9 and 14·7 months of age and produced carcass weights of 330, 324, 322 and 305 (s.e.d. 6·5) kg respectively.

Silage dry-matter intakes were 5·9, 5·1, 4·8 and 4·2 kg/day during the initial phase when differential supplement levels were being given and 7·0, 6·8, 6·2 and 5·8 respectively during the finishing period when all groups were being given 3 kg barley supplement daily. Food conversion ratios (kg dry matter intake per kg gain) were 9·1, 7·3, 6·9 and 5·8 during the initial phase and 6·4, 6·9, 6·9 and 7·2 respectively after 425 kg live weight.

It is concluded that barley supplements of 0 to 2 kg/day offered with high-quality grass silage during the growing stage (8 to 12 months of age), followed by at least 3 kg/day will produce finished bulls at an average of 325 kg carcass weight at 16 to 17 months of age. A higher level of 4 kg barley during the growing stage will reduce the slaughter period to approximately 15 months of age but carcass weight will also be reduced. Further studies are required to define the precise level of barley supplement during this earlier period.

Keywords

beef cattlecarcass weightfood intakegrowth
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , February 1994 , pp. 35 - 40
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barber, G. D., Givens, D. I., Kridis, M. S., Offer, N. W. and Murray, I. 1990. Prediction of the organic matter digestibility of grass silage. Animal Feed Science and Technology 28: 115–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baker, R. D., Young, N. E. and Laws, J. A. 1985. Changes in the body composition of cattle exhibiting compensatory growth and the modifying effects of grazing managment. Animal Production 41: 309–321.Google Scholar
Berge, P., Geay, Y. and Micol, D. 1991. Effect of feeds and growth rate during the growing phase on subsequent performance during the fattening period and carcass composition in young dairy breed bulls. Livestock Production Science 28: 203–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Department of Health and Social Security. 1984. Diet and cardio vascular disease. Report of health aspects, no. 28. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Dumelow, J. and Sharpies, T. 1988. Developing improved designs of feeding barriers and mangers for cattle from data collected from an instrumented test rig. Proceedings of the third international livestock symposium, Toronto, pp. 25–27.Google Scholar
Federation of United Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards. 1991. United Kingdom dairy facts and figures.Google Scholar
Hardy, R. and Meadowcroft, S. C. 1986. Indoor beef production. Farming Press, Ipswich.Google Scholar
Harte, F. J. 1968. Effects of plane of nutrition on calves for beef production. 1. Growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, carcass yield and offals. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 7: 137–148.Google Scholar
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, 1984–1991. Business monitor MA 20. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Keane, M. G. and Drennan, M. J. 1983. Supplementation of grass-fed calves. 3. Effects of concentrate level and protein content and subsequent performance to slaughter. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 22: 113–125.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cuthbertson, A. and Harrington, G. 1982. Beef carcase grading and classification. In Carcase evaluation in livestock breeding, production and marketing, pp. 163–201. Granada, London.Google Scholar
McDonald, P., Henderson, A. R. and Heron, S. J. E. 1991. The biochemistry of silage. 2nd ed. Chalcombe Publications, Marlow.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1991. Market review, Beef yearbook 1991, pp. 4–20.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1984. Calf rearing. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1986. The analysis of agricultural materials. Reference book 427. 3rd ed. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1992. Agricultural market report. Government statistical service.Google Scholar
O'Donovan, P. B. 1984. Compensatory gain in cattle and sheep. Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews 54: 389–410.Google Scholar
Southgate, J. R., Cook, G. L. and Kempster, A. J. 1982. A comparison of the progeny of British Friesian dams and different sire breeds in 16- and 24-month beef production systems. 1. Live-weight gain and efficiency of food utilization. Animal Production 34: 155–166.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. 1984. A comparison of two-cut and three-cut systems of silage making for beef cattle using two cultivars of perennial ryegrass. Animal Production 38: 171–179.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. 1985a. The effect of field wilting and mechanical treatment on the feeding value of grass silage for beef cattle and on beef output per hectare. Animal Production 41: 281–291.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. 1985b. A comparison of bulls and steers implanted with various oestrogenic growth promoters in a 15-month semi-intensive system of beef production. Animal Production 41: 301–308.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. 1986. The effect of plane of nutrition and type of diet offered to yearling Friesian steers during a winter store period on subsequent performance. Animal Production 42: 29–37.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. and Mcllmoyle, W. A. 1982. An evaluation of red clover silage for beef production. Animal Production 34: 95–101.Google Scholar
Wilson, P. N. and Osbourn, D. F. 1960. Compensatory growth after under-nutrition in mammals and birds. Biological Reviews 35: 324–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M. and Prescott, J. H. D. 1970. Beef production from grass and silage. 2 The effects on the performance of cattle fed on silage of barley supplementation and of previous grazing intensity. Animal Production 12: 443–450.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A. and Russel, A. J. F. 1991. Changes in the body composition of beef cattle during compensatory growth. Animal Production 52: 105–113.Google Scholar