Intensive production of beef from sorghum grain and sorghum stubble: Yard feeding versus free grazing on stubble

Abstract

Hereford steers of a mean body weight of 227 ± 3 kg were either fed in yards on a ration of 90 per cent sorghum grain, 10 per cent sorghum stubble, or were fed sorghum grain ad lib. while grazing sorghum stubble. The mean rate of daily body weight gain of steers fed in yards was 1.30 kg which was significantly greater than that of the grazing steers, 1.0 kg. The efficiency of conversion of sorghum grain to body weight and carcase weight gain was similar for both methods of feeding, but this value may have been influenced by the unknown quantity of stubble consumed by the grazing group. Grazing steers had significantly greater concentrations of vitamin A in their livers at slaughter than yard fed steers.