Post-weaning management strategies for cattle herds
| Project start date: | 01 August 2019 |
| Project end date: | 30 December 2023 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | Victoria, South Australia |
| Site location: | South west Victoria: Woodhouse, Penshurst, Coleraine, Wando Vale, Strathdownie, Henty, Casterton / Limestone Coast SA: Taratap, Bool Lagoon, Moyhall, Keith |
Summary
This project aims to quantify the cost benefit of different post weaning management systems for cattle in the Limestone Coast of South Australia and the Western District of Victoria to maintain adequate growth rates to reach production targets in steers and heifers.
Objectives
By August 2022, the project will:
1. Demonstrate and conduct cost benefit analysis of 2 local strategies per year at 3 regional focus demonstration farm (FDF) sites for weaner cattle management from 1 week post-weaning until 6 weeks post autumn break, using MLA’s cost of production calculator. Local strategies may include dry paddock feed, irrigation, lucerne, fodder crops, stubble, and/or containment, in keeping with the management of individual farms. The 3 FDF sites will be on the same property each year, with the host site producer choosing the strategies to be trialled each year.
2. Assess the impact of different post weaning strategies on joining weight and conception rate of heifers by measuring:
a. Growth rate from 1 week post-weaning until 6 weeks post autumn break
b. Conception rate at pregnancy testing
3. Assess the impact of different post-weaning strategies on growth rate, turnoff time and carcass/animal value by measuring:
a. Growth rate from 1 week post-weaning until 6 weeks post autumn break
b. Days from weaning until sale
c. Carcass/animal value at sale
4. Assess the feed value and feed on offer of each management strategy.
5. Result in:
a. 100% of PDS core producers understanding and identifying their post weaning growth path and potential to improve this
b. 100% of PDS core producers adopting the most cost beneficial post-weaning strategies for their enterprises
c. 50% of observer producers who attend the annual field days implementing or planning to implement changes to their current post weaning management strategies.
Progress
Autumn and some spring calving beef herds in southern Australia fail to maintain adequate growth rates of calves from weaning to the autumn break, resulting in a stagnation of growth for up to 6 months of the year. This has an impact on producers’ profitability, as cattle are held for longer, consume more feed and are sold at a time when supply is at its highest and prices are often at their lowest.
A PDS project being managed by MacKillop Farm Management Group (MFMG) in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia and in western Victoria is investigating different post-weaning management systems to improve post-weaning growth rates prior to selling or joining and heifer conception rates. Initial data collected for this project indicates that weaning method, weaning age, weaning weight and post-weaning management strategies varies substantially among producers.
Cost benefit comparisons between different weaner management strategies are being discussed with producers, with results motivating some producers to plan different strategies going forward to determine the most effective approaches.
