Effects of level of hay conservation on beef production

Abstract The effect on carcass weight gain/ha of conserving 0–40% of irrigated pasture area at stocking rates varying from 5.5 to 7.5 weaners/ha was studied on farmlets during a 4-year period. In all years, winter liveweight gains declined with increase in stocking rate and with decrease in % area conserved. During the first month of re-alimentation, compensatory growth ranged from -40 to 98%. Liveweight gain declined with the removal of hay areas from grazing and tended to remain lower during the post-conservation period. Highest carcass weight gain/ha varied from 576 to 687 kg/year with no conservation at a stocking rate of 6.5 animals/ha. Dry matter intake and liveweight gain were related to herbage allowance and residual herbage mass. The relationships varied with season. Residual herbage mass was marginally more highly correlated with liveweight gain than herbage allowance. Twice as high a herbage allowance and residual herbage mass were required for a given liveweight gain in late summer-early autum...