Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > AN > EA07225
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 49(3)

A systems evaluation of high-input management using fortified molasses for beef production in Australia’s dry tropics

Geoffry Fordyce A I , Ruth Coates B , Megan Debney C , Stan Haselton D , Robert Rebgetz E , Alan R. Laing F , Neil J. Cooper B , Rebecca Hall B , William E. Holmes G and Vivienne J. Doogan H
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 976, Charters Towers, Qld 4820, Australia.

B Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Swan’s Lagoon, MS 54, Ayr, Qld 4807, Australia.

C Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 1333, Mt Isa, Qld 4825, Australia.

D 34623 Bruce Highway, Giru, Qld 4809, Australia.

E Thalanga Station, Balfes Creek, Qld 4820, Australia.

F Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 591, Ayr, Qld 4807, Australia.

G Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 1085, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia.

H Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Locked Bag 4, Moorooka, Qld 4105, Australia.

I Corresponding author. Email: geoffry.fordyce@dpi.qld.gov.au

Animal Production Science 49(3) 177-191 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07225
Submitted: 30 August 2007  Accepted: 14 November 2008   Published: 2 March 2009

Abstract

The potential of beef producers to profitably produce 500-kg steers at 2.5 years of age in northern Australia’s dry tropics to meet specifications of high-value markets, using a high-input management (HIM) system was examined. HIM included targeted high levels of fortified molasses supplementation, short seasonal mating and the use of growth promotants. Using herds of 300–400 females plus steer progeny at three sites, HIM was compared at a business level to prevailing best-practice, strategic low-input management (SLIM) in which there is a relatively low usage of energy concentrates to supplement pasture intake.

The data presented for each breeding-age cohort within management system at each site includes: annual pregnancy rates (range: 14–99%), time of conception, mortalities (range: 0–10%), progeny losses between confirmed pregnancy and weaning (range: 0–29%), and weaning rates (range: 14–92%) over the 2-year observation. Annual changes in weight and relative net worth were calculated for all breeding and non-breeding cohorts. Reasons for outcomes are discussed.

Compared with SLIM herds, both weaning weights and annual growth were ≥30 kg higher, enabling 86–100% of HIM steers to exceed 500 kg at 2.5 years of age. Very few contemporary SLIM steers reached this target. HIM was most profitably applied to steers. Where HIM was able to achieve high pregnancy rates in yearlings, its application was recommended in females. Well managed, appropriate HIM systems increased profits by around $15/adult equivalent at prevailing beef and supplement prices. However, a 20% supplement price rise without a commensurate increase in values for young slaughter steers would generally eliminate this advantage.

This study demonstrated the complexity of profitable application of research outcomes to commercial business, even when component research suggests that specific strategies may increase growth and reproductive efficiency and/or be more profitable. Because of the higher level of management required, higher costs and returns, and higher susceptibility to market changes and disease, HIM systems should only be applied after SLIM systems are well developed. To increase profitability, any strategy must ultimately either increase steer growth and sale values and/or enable a shift to high pregnancy rates in yearling heifers.


Acknowledgements

This study was strongly supported by many sponsors whom we thank sincerely for their generous provision of substantial operating expenses, product and/or time to enable the study to operate effectively. These include: the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (Queensland); Meat and Livestock Australia (Project NBP.334); CSR Molasses; BEC Feed Solutions Pty Ltd and KK Animal Nutrition; Elanco Animal Health; Incitec Pivot Fertilisers; and Stocklick Trading Pty Ltd. We also greatly appreciated the strong support provided by the Industry Reference Group including Robert Rea, David Scott, Gerard and Elizabeth Lyons, Tammy Cross, Peter Ramsey, Goscelyn Smith and Dave Collyer. Sincere thanks to Dr Stu McLennan and Tom Mullins for their professional input and advice and to Dr Brian Burns, Kev Shaw and Fred Chudleigh for their critical reviews of this paper.


References


Aisthorpe J , Paton C , Timmers P (2004) ‘Stocktake: balancing supply and demand.’ (Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries: Brisbane)

Bortolussi G, O’Neill CJ (2006) Variation in molasses composition from eastern Australian sugar mills. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46, 1455–1463.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Bortolussi G, McIvor JG, Hodgkinson JJ, Coffey SG, Holmes CR (2005a) The northern Australian beef industry, a snapshot. 2. Breeding herd performance and management. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 1075–1091.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bortolussi G, Hodgkinson JJ, McIvor JG, Coffey SG, Holmes CR (2005b) The northern Australian beef industry, a snapshot. 3. Annual liveweight gains from pasture-based systems. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 1093–1108.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Chilcott CR , Nelson BS , Quirk MF , Paton CJ (2005) ‘Burdekin grazing land management workbook.’ (Edge Network, Meat and Livestock Australia: Sydney)

du Plessis I, Hoffman LC, Calitz FJ (2006) Influence of reproductive traits and pre-weaning growth rate on herd efficiency of different breed types in an arid sub-tropical environment. South African Journal of Animal Science 36, 89–98. open url image1

Fordyce G (2006) Practical strategies to reach target mating weight in north Australian beef heifers. In ‘Proceedings of the Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians conference, 16–19 November 2006, Port Macquarie’. pp. 142–152. (Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians: Brisbane)

Fordyce G, Holroyd RG, James TA, Reid DJ (1988) The effect of post-weaning growth on the fertility of Brahman cross heifers. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 17, 396. open url image1

Fordyce G, Cooper NJ, Kendall IE, O’Leary BM, de Faveri J (1996a) Creep feeding and pre-partum supplementation effects on growth and fertility of Brahman cross cattle in the dry tropics. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 36, 389–395.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Fordyce G , D’Occhio MJ , Cooper NJ , Kendall IE , O’Leary BM (1996 b) First oestrus in Brahman cross heifers in the dry tropics and the influence of supplementation. In ‘Proceedings of reproduction in tropical environments, satellite meeting of the 13th international congress on animal reproduction’. Free communication 7. (Tropical Beef Centre: Rockhampton, Qld)

Fordyce G, Fitzpatrick LA, Mullins TJ, Cooper NJ, Reid DJ, Entwistle KW (1997) Pre-partum supplementation effects on growth and fertility in Bos indicus cross cows. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, 141–149.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Graham JF (2003) Condition scoring of beef cattle. Agriculture notes AG0113. Department of Primary Industries, Melbourne, Vic.

Hasker PJS (2000) ‘Beef production in northern Australia: a summary of research.’ (Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane)

Holmes WE (2006) ‘Breedcow and Dynama Herd budgeting software package. Version 5.04 for Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP. Training series QE99002.’ (Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries: Townsville)

Holroyd RG (1987) Foetal and calf wastage in Bos indicus cross beef genotypes. Australian Veterinary Journal 64, 133–137.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Hunter RA, Magner T, Allingham PG (2000) Sustained growth promotion, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of steers treated with oestradiol-17β. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 133–138.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Lindsay JA, Dyer RM, Gelling BA, Laing AR (1996) Finishing Bos indicus crossbred cattle on northern spear grass pastures using molasses or grain based supplements. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 21, 82–91. open url image1

Meat and Livestock Australia (2003) ‘The nutrition edge.’ (Meat and Livestock Australia, Sydney)

Norman ST (2006) The management of dystocia in cattle. In ‘Proceedings of the Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians Conference, 16–19 November 2006, Port Macquarie’. pp. 70–81. (Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians: Brisbane)

O’Rourke PK, Entwistle KW, Arman C, Esdale CR, Burns BM (1991) Fetal development and gestational changes in Bos taurus and Bos indicus genotypes in the tropics. Theriogenology 36, 839–853.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1