Current feeding systems for beef cattle in Belize
1983
Juan, E. (Belize Beef Corporation, Belmopan (Belize)) | Montero, R.J.
Gives background information on the physical and environmental conditions and health problems of cattle farming in Belize. Specialized livestock farming is practised on medium to large scale ranches (40 ha) with a high level of management achieving slaughter weights of 318-455 kg in 24-36 months; mixed farming on small farms where cropping is the main activity produces animals of inferior quality. A number of feeding systems are practised commercially or on trial as follows: (1) open range, with little husbandry and low quality herds; (2) controlled or rotational grazing, the most commonly used system; (3) supplementary feeding (dry season) with forage sorghum or sugar cane residues and rotational grazing; (4) finishing steers on silage ration composed of 12 kg corn silage, 3.6 kg corn husk and cob meal, and 2.3 kg urea-molasses mixture/head per day; (5) urea-molasses-phosphoric acid used as a supplementary feed for fattening steers; (6) fattening by intensive rotational grazing with confined feeding on a ration composed of chopped cane, urea, rice polishings, molasses and minerals in the dry season; (7) the results of a preliminary trial gave Average Daily Gain (ADG) of 1.35 kg for animals fed on citrus pulp-cocoa pod based ration combined with grazing on natural pasture; (8) steer fattening based on feeding on improved pasture up to 341-364 kg followed by finishing on a mixture of corn, sorghum and 32 % supplements. ADG's are 1.36 kg/day of high quality meat which is channelled to the luxury market; (9) the use of tropical forage legumes on infertile, poorly drained lowland soils. Kudzu and Siratro gave the best results with ADG's of 0.29 kg/day. Stocking rate needs to be increased and improved grasses introduced into the pure legume swards
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