BullBeefFinishingL11

• Primals vs Manufacturing


  Comparison of meat cuts in bull vs steer carcasses
• What is the percentage of adult cattle kill that consists of bull calves of dairy origin reared for beef?

  Around 20%
• How much liveweight gain is achievable in bull systems at 3-6 months of age?

  0.9 kg/day
• How much liveweight gain is achievable in bull systems at 12-15 months of age?

  1.5 kg/day
• How much liveweight gain is achievable in bull systems at 24-27 months of age

  2.0 kg/day
• What is the aim for liveweight gain by May?

  Utilize herb pastures in late February is 250 kg plus
• How many calves are sold as bobby calves?

  1.7-1.9 million calves
• What is the average liveweight gain of bulls in the one year system?

  1.0-1.1 kg/head/day over the entire period
• How is the seasonal match of feed demand and pasture growth achieved in the calf to 18-month bull beef production system?

  Increasing stock numbers with the purchase of replacements in November, selling older bulls through the summer, and adjusting the rate of liveweight gain achieved per bull per day.
• What are some of the pasture types that can increase summer liveweight gain in bull beef production?

  Chicory, plantain, red clover, and white clover.
• What are sward targets?

  Specific conditions of pasture that need to be maintained to achieve liveweight gains in animals
• What is the importance of monitoring sward conditions?

  Helps maintain pasture quality and ensure high animal intakes, which ultimately leads to better liveweight gains
• What is New Generation Beef?

  Type of beef that isn't normally produced in NZ and is created from dairy-origin cattle that are slaughtered before one year of age
• What are the potential positives of New Generation Beef?

  Improved animal welfare, reduced environmental footprint, better feed efficiency, and feed budgeting options
• Improved animal welfare:

  Utilization of "surplus" animal from the dairy industry minimizing the need to slaughter very young calves.
• Reduced environmental footprint:

  Animals on farm for less than a year
• Better feed efficiency:

  Only feeding animals during accelerating phase of growth
• Feed budgeting options:

  Slaughter prior/during first winter, reducing stock units over winter period.
• All successful beef finishing systems have a common theme "profitability is determined by the amount and quality of feed eaten"