Şentürklü Songul, Landblom Douglas, Paisley Steven, Wachenheim Cheryl, Maddock Robert
Dickinson Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Dickinson, ND 58601, USA.
Department of Animal Science, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart Universitesi, BMYO, Canakkale 17200, Turkey.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Nov 15;11(11):3270. doi: 10.3390/ani11113270.
When selling small-framed steers at weaning, profitability is diminished. The hypothesis is that by using a vertically integrated business model that includes retained ownership, extended grazing, abbreviated feedlot finishing, and selling at slaughter, profitability would increase. Crossbred yearling steers ( = 288) from small size Aberdeen Angus (Lowline) × Red Angus × Angus × Angus cows and moderate to large size Red Angus × Angus × Simmental × Gelbvieh cows calved May-June were randomly assigned (complete randomized design), in a 3 y study, to feedlot control (FLT) and extended grazing (GRZ) frame score treatment groups. Mean frame score for FLT were small frame (SF) 3.82 and large frame (LF) 5.63, and for GRZ, SF: 3.77 and LF: 5.53. Least-square means were utilized to identify levels of effects and to control family-wise error adjusted with Tukey test. The FLT control steers were housed in the feedlot and fed growing diets and subsequently high energy corn-based diets for 218 days. The GRZ steers grazed a sequence of forages (native range, field pea-barley mix, and unharvested corn) for 212 days and then were transferred to the feedlot and fed high energy corn-based finishing diets for 82 days. The SF GRZ steers grew more slowly grazing native range and annual forages compared to GRZ LF steers, but SF steer grazing cost per kg of gain was reduced 7.80%. Grazing steers did not grow to their full genetic potential. Slower growth during grazing allowed LF and SF steers to grow structurally before feedlot entry creating a compensatory feedlot finishing growth response. Overall, grazing steer performance exceeded steer performance of the FLT control treatment and LF grazing steers had the highest rate of gain, and lowest feed cost per kg of gain. The GRZ steer feedlot days on feed were reduced 136 days and total feed intake was reduced resulting in LF and SF grazing steer feed cost reductions of 175.9 and 165.3%, respectively. Extended grazing also resulted in LF and SF grazing steer hot carcass weights to be greater than control LF and SF steers and SF grazing steers had greater dressing percent, and marbling score. Carcass quality grade, meat tenderness, and cooking losses were similar. System net returns were highest for LF (USD 911.58), and SF (USD 866.61) grazing steers. Managerial modification combining retained ownership, extended grazing, and delayed feedlot entry increased profitability and eliminated market bias.
断奶时出售小体格阉牛，盈利能力会降低。假设采用包括保留所有权、延长放牧期、缩短育肥期并在屠宰时出售的垂直整合商业模式，盈利能力将会提高。在一项为期3年的研究中，将5月至6月产犊的小体型阿伯丁安格斯牛（低线牛）×红安格斯牛×安格斯牛×安格斯牛的杂交一岁阉牛（n = 288）以及中等到大体型红安格斯牛×安格斯牛×西门塔尔牛×吉尔维牛肉牛的杂交一岁阉牛，通过完全随机设计，随机分配到育肥对照（FLT）和延长放牧（GRZ）体格评分处理组。FLT组的平均体格评分，小体格（SF）为3.82，大体格（LF）为5.63；GRZ组的SF为3.77，LF为5.53。采用最小二乘法均值来确定效应水平，并通过Tukey检验控制家族式误差。FLT组的对照阉牛被圈养在育肥场，先饲喂生长日粮，随后饲喂高能玉米型日粮，为期218天。GRZ组的阉牛先放牧一系列牧草（原生牧场、豌豆-大麦混合牧草和未收割的玉米），为期212天，然后转移到育肥场，饲喂高能玉米型育肥日粮，为期82天。与GRZ组的LF阉牛相比，GRZ组的SF阉牛在原生牧场和一年生牧草上生长较慢，但每千克增重的放牧成本降低了7.80%。放牧的阉牛没有发挥出其全部遗传潜力。放牧期间生长较慢，使LF和SF阉牛在进入育肥场之前在结构上得以生长，从而产生育肥期的补偿性生长反应。总体而言，放牧阉牛的性能超过了FLT对照组阉牛的性能，LF放牧阉牛的增重率最高，每千克增重的饲料成本最低。GRZ组阉牛的育肥天数减少了136天，总采食量减少，导致LF和SF放牧阉牛的饲料成本分别降低了175.9%和165.3%。延长放牧还使LF和SF放牧阉牛的热胴体重高于对照LF和SF阉牛，SF放牧阉牛的屠宰率和大理石花纹评分更高。胴体质量等级、肉嫩度和烹饪损失相似。LF（911.58美元）和SF（866.61美元）放牧阉牛的系统净收益最高。结合保留所有权、延长放牧和延迟进入育肥场的管理改进措施提高了盈利能力，并消除了市场偏差。
