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STUDIES ON THE EXTENSION OF THE GRAZING SEASON
Author(s) -
Corbett J. L.,
Gwynn P. E.,
Walker D.,
Aitken J. N.
Publication year - 1958
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1958.tb00124.x
Subject(s) - grazing , silage , dry matter , straw , zoology , biology , body weight , agronomy , endocrinology
Foggage grazing trials with beef‐store cattle and in‐calf dairy heifers during four successive winters in Aberdeenshire are described. Many of the animals received only very small quantities of supplementary fodders, but their performance was satisfactory in all cases. During the last two winters, silage and oat straw contributed 40–50% of total food dry‐matter intake. It is suggested that this level of supplementary feeding would be satisfactory in practice. In a comparison of store‐feeding systems, four in‐wintered (housed) steers were 110 1b. per head heavier than their out‐wintered monozygous twins at the end of the winter‐feeding period. Live‐weight differences averaged 27 1b. per head one month later and were negligible at the end of summer. From the results of a metabolism trial it was concluded that the spring weight‐loss suffered by the housed cattle was due mainly to a reduction in the weight of gut contents.