Supplementary feeding of grazing beef cattle

The effects of cereal and protein supplements on feed intake and liveweight gain were studied. In 1975, steers were continuously stocked on autumn pasture and fed no supplement or 8 g dry matter (DM) per kg liveweight (LW) per d as rolled barley (crude protein (CP) concentration 120 g kg^-1), lucerne cobs (CP concentration 190 g kg^-1) or a mixed concentrate (CP concentration 300 g kg^-1). In 1976, steers were continuously stocked or rotationally grazed in summer and fed no supplement or 7 g DM per kg LW per d as either rolled barley (CP concentration 130 g kg^-1) or a mixture of rolled barley and groundnut meal (CP concentration 210 g kg^-1). Herbage organic matter (OM) intakes in 1975 and 1976 were depressed on average by 22 and 15% respectively with supplementation, but total OM intakes were increased by 9 and 15% respectively. Daily liveweight gain was not significantly increased by supplementation in 1975 when herbage allowance was ample but was significantly increased in 1976 when herbage allowance was limited and herbage digestibility was lower. Protein concentration of the concentrate did not significantly affect daily gain in either year nor was there any difference in gain between rotational grazing and continuous stocking.