Effect of sward surface height on herbage intake and performance of finishing beef cattle

摘要

Abstract This study examined the effects of contrasting sward surface height (SSH) on the herbage intake, ingestive behaviour, and performance of steers grazing perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne)/white clover (Trifolium repens) pastures in New Zealand during summer, and the influence of this initial treatment contrast on subsequent cattle performance under common grazing conditions during early autumn. Twenty‐four Angus‐cross steers, 26 months old and with an initial liveweight of 522 ± 7.6 kg, were continuously stocked on swards maintained at SSH of 5 and 10 cm (L versus H) from 18 November 1996. Six steers from each treatment were slaughtered on 4 March and the remaining animals were grazed for another 5 weeks on common pastures until the final slaughter on 8 April 1997. Herbage intake (estimated by the n‐alkane technique) and liveweight gain over the SSH contrast period, and carcass weight at first slaughter, were higher for steers grazed at 10 cm than for those grazed at 5 cm (7.5 ± 0.21 versus 5.0 ±...