The effect of frequency of harvesting grass for silage on the intake and performance of beef cattle

Two randomized-block experiments were conducted to examine the effects of frequency of harvesting grass for silage on the intake and performance of beef cattle. In both experiments swards of S24 perennial ryegrass were harvested at 63-, 49- and 38-d intervals throughout the growing season. Grass harvested before and after 10 July was ensiled separately and termed spring and autumn silage respectively. In Experiment 1 the silages were offered ad libitum either unsupplemented or supplemented with 2 kg barley per head daily to eighty-four Hereford-cross weaned, single-suckled steer calves of mean initial live weight 284 kg, in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Silage dry matter (DM) intakes and liveweight gains for the silages harvested at 63-, 49- and 38-d intervals were 4.80, 0.72; 4.49,0.76; and 4.62,0.78 kg d⁻¹ for the spring silages and 4.69, 0.67; 4.59, 0.85; and 4.55,0.86 kg d⁻¹ for the autumn silages respectively. There was no significant interaction between frequency of harvesting and concentrate supplementation. In Experiment 2 the silages were offered ad libitum and unsupplemented to forty-two Hereford-cross weaned, single-suckled steer calves of mean initial live weight 240 kg, and forty-two Hereford-cross store cattle of mean initial live weight 356 kg, in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Silage DM intakes and liveweight gains for the silages harvested at 63-, 49- and 38-d intervals were 4.94,0.49; 5.69,0.80; and 619,0.93 kg d⁻¹ for the spring silages and 5.50, 0.61; 5.57, 0.72; and 505, 0.65 kg d⁻¹ for the autumn silages respectively. There were no significant interactions between frequency of harvesting and type of animal. It is concluded that a cutting interval of 49 d commencing on 21 May is likely to be optimum for this type of sward except under exceptional weather conditions.