Beef productcion from veld and legume-based pastures. 1. Cow-calf production
1994
Mazorodze, C.R. | Sibanda, S. | Graant, J.L. (Ministry of Agriculture, Marondera (Zimbabwe). Grasslands Research Station)
Four systems of producing beef from pastures were investigated. The systems were: range (veld) alone, legume reinforced range, range plus a dry season protein supplement, and a planted grass pasture-legume mix. The systems were initially stocked with 59 in-calf Africander X Hereford heifers at a rate of 3.7 ha/cow-calf unit on the range-based systems and 1 ha/cow-calf unit on the grass pasture-legume mix. All cows were bulled from December to February each year and their productivity was measured over six calf generations. Calving percentage was higher (P0.001) for cows offered a dry season supplement (91.7) or grazing on the grass pasture legume mix (88.6), than for cows on range alone (79.2) or legume-reinforced range (79.4). A similar trend was found for weaning rate, weaning weight and cow weight at the beginning and middle of bulling. Cows which were dry at mating had significantly higher (P0.001) conception rate (91.4 v 78.1 per cent) and produced heavier calves at birth (33.6 v 32.5) and weaning (211.3 v 201.7 kg) than their lactating contemporaries. Male calves were heavier than female calves (P0.05) at birth (34.1 v 31.8 kg) and at weaning and grew faster. Year of calving had a significant effect on most traits measured
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