Energy supplementation of yearling steers at different stocking rates on Nile grass pasture

Abstract

Forty-eighty earling steers( averageli ve mass= 192.8a nd standardd eviation= 3.7 kg) were blocked by massa nd breed [Sussex@ = 32) and Simmentaler( n = l6)] and within blocks allocatedr andomlyt o one of four treatments( supplementation with 0, 1,2 and 4 kg maize meal/day),e acha t one of two stockingr atesf light stockingr ate (LSR: 6 steersftraa) nd h e a v y s t o c k i n g r a t e (HSl 0Rs: t e e r s / h a ) l . L i v ema s s g a i n / s t e e rwat 4s.534,.713 . 5 t 5 . 4 , 1 0 0 . 0 + 6 . l a n d l 1 8 . 1 t 7 . 4 k g over the grazingp eriod of 124d ays,a t supplementatiolne velso f 0, l,2and 4 kg maizem eal/steer/dayre, spectivelyO. ver all supplementatiolne vels,l ive massg ain was9 3.5t 7.6kgand79.3 t 4.8 kg for the LSR and HSRsr espectivelyW. hile the level of supplementationh ad a significanti nfluenceo n fat thickness( P < 0.01),s tockingr ated id not (P > 0.05).

Agt en veertigj aaroudo sse( gemiddeldele wendem assa= 192.8e n standaardafwykin=g 3.7 kg) is geblok volgensm assa en ras [Sussex( n = 32) en Simmentaler( n = l6)] en binne elke blok ewekansiga an een van vier behandelingsto egeken (supplementeringm et 0, 1,2 of 4 kg mieliemeel/dag)e, lkeent eene en van twee veebeladingsfl igte veebelading( LSR: 6 osse/hae) n swaarv eebelading(H SR: l0 osse/ha)1D.i e lewendemassa-toenamew/aos 54.1+ 4.3,13.5+ 5.4,100.0+ 6.1 en 11 8.1 + 7. 4 kg oor die weiperiodev an 124 dae teen supplementeringspeivlea n 0, l, 2 en 4 kg mieliemeel/os/dag, respektiewelikO. or alle vlakke van supplementeringw, as die lewendemassa-toenam9e3s. 5 + 7. 6 en 79.3 + 4.8 kg vir die
LSR en HSR, respektiewelikP. eil van supplementerinhge t vetdikteb etekenisvobl einvloed( P < 0.01), maar veebelading het nie (P > 0.05).

Keywords: Energy supplementation, growth rates, subtropical pastures.