06/02/2017 A PROFITABLE CROSS CALVE REARING AND FINISHING SYSTEM ON PASTURE. Introduction

Transcription

1 /2/217 Introduction Calf rearing in the southern Cape A PROFITABLE CROSS CALVE REARING AND FINISHING SYSTEM ON PASTURE Josef van Wyngaard, Robin Meeske and Manie Grobler Western Cape Department of Agriculture Outeniqua Research Farm Beef Day 21 February 217 Outeniqua Research Farml Background 1or 2-stage Intensive: 2 or 3 months Rear multiple calves with nurse cows Extensive: 3 -? months Average non-commercial farmer: 2-1 ha nurse cows Buy 15 and wean 1 calves per year 2 Introduction.. Problem statement of current calf rearing systems Challenges High calf mortalities diarrhoea Feed quality Housing Poor health programme Drop in calf growth after weaning Farm size Feed quality and availability Cow body condition Low profit - not sustainable Aim of this study Resolve problem statement Aim Develop a profitable and sustainable multiple suckling calf rearing system where cross calves are weaned and finished on pasture 3 Objectives of this study Achieve the aim Objectives Validate the nursing potential of the Angus/Jersey cow against the Jersey cow Evaluate the beef production potential of F1 Angus/Jersey bull and heifer calves Evaluate the calf rearing system Materials and methods Paddock Experimental design Paddock location Outeniqua Research Farm 2 ha No-irrigation Mixed pasture Kikuyu, taaipol, tall fescue, cocksfoot, perennial ryegrass, legumes Annual soil corrections kg N &.5 kg B/ha/yr 5 1

2 /2/217 Materials and methods Treatments Materials and methods Calf batch description Experimental design Main treatment effects Nurse cow breed Jersey nurse cow () Angus/Jersey nurse cow () 8 calves reared over 9 months Calf batch Three batches 3 months apart Calf gender F1 Angus/Jersey calves Equal bulls and heifers 7 Figure 1: Cow 9-month lactation period layout of rearing six calves Cow 9-month lactation period 2 Calves 2 Calves 2 Calves Weaned after 3 months Weaned after 3 months Weaned after 3 months Dried off 8 Materials and methods Figure 2: Calf nursery and suckling pen Materials and methods: Feeding regimes Grazing and feeding regimes 1. Cows Pasture 2 kg dairy meal/day Outeniqua mineral lick 2. Calves -3 months Growth pellets (18% CP) Suckle cows twice daily Water after days Pasture after 5 days 9 1 Materials and methods: Feeding regimes.. 3. Calves 3-7 months Pasture 2 kg pellets/day (15% CP) Outeniqua mineral lick. Calves 7-9 months Pasture 1 kg pellets/day (15% CP) Outeniqua mineral lick 5. Calves months Pasture and mineral lick only Materials and methods: Health programme Healthy animals» healthy profit Treat diarrhoea asap (BioRem) Dose for internal parasites at weaning (Prodose Blue) Dip for ticks when needed (Amipor) Vaccinate against: 1. Anthrax, botulism and blackleg At -months of age Supervax Booster at 5-months of age Duovax 2. Lumpy skin disease At -months of age Lumpyvax 3. Brucella abortus Heifers at -months of age RB 51 Booster at 12-1 months of age

3 Milk production (kg/d) Calf milk intake (kg/day) /2/217 Materials and methods Pasture Experimental design Pasture management Basket grazing system to 9 camp system Moved at point of pasture regrowth 5% pasture removed Pasture intake 2.5% of BW Materials and methods Data collection Data collection Milk production (monthly) Weight of cows and calves (monthly) Supplemental intake of cows and calves (daily) Pasture parameters Botanical composition Quality Calf carcass weight and grading 13 1 Intensive suckling period Results Nurse cow production data Table 1: Mean start and end weight and body condition score (BCS), and mean milk production of the Angus/Jersey and Jersey nurse cow groups over a period of 9 months Parameter Nurse cow breed (n=) Angus/Jersey Jersey SEM P-Value Start Weight (kg) 31 a 3 b End Weight (kg) 22 a 332 b Weight change (kg) Start BCS (scale 1-5) 2.9 a 1.9 b.19.1 End BCS (scale 1-5) 3. a 1.7 b.12 <.1 BCS change (scale 1-5) Milk production (kg/d) Results Nurse cow milk yield Results Calf milk intake across batches Figure 3: Milk production of Angus/Jersey and Jersey nurse cows per calf batch over a 9-month lactation period Figure : Calf batch milk intake over the 3-month suckling period 7 had an advantage ± 1 kg milk/cow/d 2 kg dairy concentrate! NS (p>.5) Error bars indicate SEM to 3 3 to to 9 Months of lactation Angus/Jersey nurse cow Jersey nurse cow

4 Calf milk intake (kg/day) Calf body weight (kg) Calf pellet intake (kg/day) Calf body weight (kg) /2/217 Bull/Heifer weight diff (kg) Results Calf milk intake and growth pellet intake (3 mo.) Figure 5: Calf milk and growth pellet intake across batches over the suckling period Calf batch Milk intake Calf batch pellet intake Linear (Calf batch pellet intake) Calf batch Calf pellet intake (kg/calf/d) Calf growth curves Sustainable Beef Production Systems in the Southern Cape 2 Results Calf batch body weight Results Calf gender body weight Figure : Calf batch weight from birth to slaughter Suckling period 2 kg 1 kg Birth Pasture only Dec 15 ADG: 77 g/d Apr Aug 1 Apr Aug 1 Nov 1 ADG: g/d Nov 1 ADG: 55 g/d 21 Figure 7: Effect of calf gender (bull or heifer calf) on calf body weight from birth to 15 months of age (error bars indicate SEM) Suckling period 2 kg 1 kg 1.7 kg diff. per month 5 kg diff. at 2 months R8 diff. in carcass income Pasture only slaughtered 8 Bull calf Heifer calf Bull/Heifer weight difference Birth slaughtered slaughtered Results Seasonal variability on pasture quality Table 2: Seasonal effect on pasture quality for each calf batch from birth to 15 months of age Calf age Birth Spring Summer Autumn 3-months Summer Autumn Winter -months Autumn Winter Spring 9-months Winter Spring Summer 12-months Spring Summer Autumn 15-months Summer Autumn Winter Pasture quality CP (%) ME (MJ/kg) NDF (%) Carcass characteristics Sustainable Beef Production Systems in the Southern Cape 2

5 /2/217 Table 3: Carcass characteristics of Angus/Jersey bull calves Recommendations: Perfect carcass Calf (17 mo.) (2 mo.) (21 mo.) n LW (kg) BCS Carcass (kg) Grading Pen. S% R/kg Income/ calf (A1) 8 R 33 R (AB) 8 R 33 R R 35 R 7 77 The perfect grass-fed beef carcass 1. Calf age: months Age class A 2. Calf live weight: > kg Carcass mass >2 kg Average R 3 R Calf BCS: >3.2 Fatness & build class 2 or Projections Animal numbers Repeated system 2 ha 5 nursing cows calves 25% replacement rate Table : Animal numbers and LU per year Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Max Economics of the whole system Live animals Avg LU/ha Sustainable Beef Production Systems in the Southern Cape Projections Annual cost of the system Projections Annual income and profit of the system Table 5: Cost per hectare above feed, health and fertiliser cost Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Table : Income and profit per hectare above feed, health and fertiliser cost Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Calf cost/ha R 17 R 17 R 17 Feed cost/ha R R R Health cost/ha R R 111 R 111 Fertiliser cost/ha R 1 8 R 988 R 92 Total cost/ha R 7 R 327 R Animals slaughtered 2 Kg meat/ha Income/ha R R R 8 29 Profit/ha - R 7 R 1 2 R 187 5

6 /2/217 Take home message Take home message cont. Take home message Recommendations Nurse cow cross bred Calf slaughter Cross calf Age mo Weight > kg Calf gender bull BCS >. Maybe 7 calves per cow (3, 2, 2) Shorten calf supplemental period? Perfect grass-fed carcass Take home message Implications Zero profit for year 1 Seasonal effects on calf batches Calf mortalities may reduce profit 31 32