Brief communication: Ad libitum fodder-beet and pasture beef-finishing systems: Intake, utilisation, grazing behaviour and liveweight gains

Abstract

Traditionally, New Zealand (NZ) beef-production systems rely almost solely on pasture production. However, the seasonality of pasture growth, which affects quality and quantity, impacts the productivity of the system, with mean slaughter age of 26-36 months. In accelerated beeffinishing systems internationally, cereal grains are used to maintain energy intakes across the production cycle, at a lower cost than is possible in NZ.