Effect of backgrounding systems on winter and finishing performance, forage intake, carcass characteristics of beef calves and economic analysis

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Date
2011-03Author
Kumar, Ravinder
Type
ThesisDegree Level
MastersMetadata
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A 2-year winter grazing and feedlot finishing trial (Exp 1) and subsequent in-situ nutrient
disappearance study (Exp 2) were conducted to evaluate the effects of swath grazing forage
barley (Hordeum vulgare, cv. Ranger) or foxtail millet (Setaria italica, cv. Golden German)
compared to grass-legume hay fed in drylot on calf performance. In trial1 in each of 2 years, 120
spring born Angus calves (60 steers, 60 heifers) were fall weaned, stratified by weight, allocated
into 20-head groups then assigned randomly to one of the three replicated (n=2) backgrounding
(BG) systems. Backgrounding systems were (i) swath graze barley (BR); (ii) swath graze millet
(ML); and (iii) bunk fed ground hay drylot (DL). Swath grazed calves were limit fed in 8 ha
paddocks with 3 d grazing periods, using electric fencing for 96 d each year. All groups received
a pelleted supplement at 0.62% BW. Calves were weighed at start, every 21 d and end of
background period. Following the BG period, calves were placed in feedlot, separated by sex and
BG treatment and fed a similar finishing ration and harvested at a targeted endpoint of 12 mm
back fat. Forage samples collected every 21 d were analyzed for DM, CP and digestible energy
(DE) and change in nutritive quality over the grazing period. DE content was greatest (P
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)Department
Animal and Poultry ScienceProgram
Animal and Poultry ScienceSupervisor
Lardner, Bart; McKinnon, JohnCommittee
Walburger, Ken; Christensen, DaveCopyright Date
March 2011Subject
economics
carcass characteristics
Backgrounding
performance
beef