Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Western Australia, Series 4
Volume 7
Number 3 1966 Article 2
1-1-1966
Stocking rates with growing cattle at Wokalup Research Station Stocking rates with growing cattle at Wokalup Research Station
Maurice C. Cullity
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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation
Cullity, Maurice C. (1966) "Stocking rates with growing cattle at Wokalup Research Station," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 7: No. 3, Article 2.
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CATTLE STOCKING RATES
Stocking rates with growing cattle at Wokalup Research Station
By M . C U L L I T Y — C h i e f , Division of Dairying
CONSIDERABLE a t t e n t i o n has been given in A u s t r a l i a and in overseas countries t o methods of grazing c o n t r o l , and t o the effects of varying stocking concentrations. There is evidence that the highest yields per a n i m a l — o f m i l k or b u t t e r f a t per cow, or o f weight increase per growing or f a t t e n i n g beast—are not necessarily a true reflection of the great- est o u t p u t f r o m the f a r m , as indicated by the measure of y i e l d per acre.
Stocking concentration of dairy cows in Western Australia has been recorded in surveys, in competitions and by extension officers during their routine farm visits.
This data, while giving information as to average and the range of stocking rates, which do vary from district to district, does not indicate the optimum level.
Unfortunately, these average figures have become almost the objective rate of stock- ing.
This may be sound to the extent that a new farmer is wise to follow district practices until he can demonstrate an improved variation. But there is no doubt that in the specialised dairy pattern of
Abundant feed was available at the low stocking rate treatment, 1 beast: 1 acre. This treatment (left) contrasted with the highest stocking rate treatment of 1 beast: i acre (right)
93
Cattle stocked at 1 beast per i acre. At the end of the trial feed was abundant in this pad- dock and the animals were in fat
condition
The results indicated that heav- er stocking rates than usually
employed could be profitable
Western Australia, the percentage utilisa- tion of the herbage produced as pasture is too low—in other words, much feed is wasted.
Unfortunately, facilities are not avail- able for reasonable scale density of stock- ing investigations with dairy cows. How- ever, in an effort to gain some information on the situation with cattle, an exploratory trial was organised, using dry cattle.
Twenty yearling Poll Hereford grade heifers were selected and weighed at monthly intervals from May of 1963.
From these, six pairs of approximately equal weight and whose growth rates had been uniformly parallel were divided into four groups of three.
In order to obtain a good balance of weights, the pairs were divided and allocated to groups in an over-lapping manner.
Four adjacent irrigation paddocks were prepared of 3, 2£, l i and l i acres, in each of which one group was placed on the 11th November, 1963, giving stocking rates of 1 beast per acre, 1 per J acre, 1 per i acre and 1 per | acre.
The pasture species present were white clover (T. repens) Paspalum (P. dilata- tum), Perennial Rye grass (L. perenne) Couch grass (C. dactylon) and minor species.
The paddocks had been cut for hay on October 29th, 1963, and appeared to be reasonably uniform in species and growth.
A visual analysis of the species on February 14th, 1964, however showed some differences.
Another assessment was made at the conclusion of the work, March 9th, 1965, when the animals were sold. The last weiehing was on March 5th.
The results are tabulated below:
Pasture composition
%
Stocking Rite
Clover Paspalum Other Grasses
1 : 1 14/2/65
38.5 6.5 55.0
9/3/65 21.0
9.0 70.0
l : |
14/2/65 38.5 31.5 40.0
9/3/65 22.0 54.5 23.5
1 : J 14/2/65
37.0 21.5 41.5
9/3/65 18.0 42.0 40.0
l : f
14/2/65 33.0 10.0 57.0
9/3/65 24.5 15.0 60.5
Comments made at the conclusion of the trial on March 9th, 1965 (see table) were:
1 Beast: 1 Acre—Abundance of feed with t h e Paspalum being grazed. Rye- grass in the field is in seed giving it a yellow look. Average height of feed 2i in.
1 Beast: i Acre—Paspalum is rank with flower heads 3 feet in height. There is an abundance of feed. Average height of grazed plants 2 in.
1 Beast: \ Acre—Adequate feed in this paddock. Regular height of feed as animals are keeping up with growth and there is no selective grazing. Average height of vegetation \\ in.
1 Beast: | Acre—Very bare growth only visible round dung heaps where it is not being eaten. Average height of feed i in.
All animals were weighed at 28 day intervals. Weighing coincided with the watering of the paddocks up to March 16th, 1964, and again from November, 1964, to March, 1965, when the animals were sold. They therefore were not in the paddocks while water was flowing on the surface.
Irrigated pastures in Western Australia grow vigorously in the summer, but much
less rapidly during the autumn and winter.
The system of grazing was not that used by, or recommended to farmers, but was adopted only to enable a comparison of the different concentrations of stock.
During July of 1964, it was necessary to remove the animals from 1 : \ and 1 : i acre paddocks, as they were losing weight rapidly and the paddocks were bare. They were run together on hill pasture with other stock until October 13th, when they were returned to their original paddocks.
As these two groups had to be removed from their paddocks during t h e late winter, it is not possible to make any comparison between their performance and those of the other two groups.
However, as the stock in the concentra- tions of 1 : 1 acre and 1 : | acre were under similar conditions throughout, a comparison of their growth rates and final disposal values is possible. In a similar way, the groups which were removed were under comparable condi- tions throughout t h e period and their performances may be similarly compared.
Figure 1 shows clearly the trend in weight of all groups. The two more lightly stocked groups followed a very similar pattern of growth throughout while the more heavily stocked groups fell in weight
tf, 1,000 m
t -
<0
2 2
roo - „**
\/%
— S T O C K I N G R A T E T R I A L - M E A N U V E WEIGHT C H A N G E S
NOV D E C J A N F E B M A R A P R M A Y U U N J U Y A U & S E P O C T N O V D E C J A N 6 3 & 4 6 4 6 5
Fig. 1.—Liveweight trends of cattle at the four stocking rates
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Average live weights (lb.)
Stocking Rate N o v e m b e r 1963 March 1965 Gain per beast Gain per acre
1 : 1 729 1,243 514 514
1 J
697 1,190 493 657
1 : | 714 1,144 430 860
1 • f 725 995 270 720
steadily from the March, 1964 weighing, and then more rapidly till July. They recovered much of the lost weight (which was partly due to loss of fill) on the winter type annual pasture, but never reached the final weights of the other groups.
Table 1 shows the progressive weights of each animal on each group, while Table 2 the above figures for mean weights of each group.
The animals were sold on a weight and grade basis to a local abattoir on March
23rd, 1965. From Table 1 it will be seen that all animals were of similar weights at the commencement of the trial. From Table 2 the above figures for mean weight gain are taken.
Prices realised on sale were:—
Stocking Rate Per Beast.
£ s. d.
65 0 0 61 0 0 58 0 0 52 0 0
Table 1.—Weights of individual animals (lb.)
Date W e i g h e d
7/11/63 20/12/63 1/1/64 20/1/64 8/2/64 25/2/64 16/3/64 10/4/64 15/5/64 16/6/64 8/7/64 27/7/64 , 11/8/64
8/9/64 6/10/64 13/10/64 3/11/64 1/12/64 24/12/64 12/1/65 28/1/65 18/2/65 5/3/65 Gains in weight
(lbs.)
1 740 730 720 782 818 858 884 938 948 982 980 964 974 1,016 1,088 1,164 1,208 1,232 1.260 1,288 1.288 548
1 : 1
3 738 720 710 760 800 842 868 900 928 942 942 918 924 972 1.038 1,088 1,142 1,164 1,192 1.212 1,214 476 514
5 710 692 696 730 774 826 848 876 914 946 942 934 930 972 1,018 1.098 1.146 1,176 1.190 1,218 1,227 517
6 692 710 684 746 802 832 872 920 924 960 924 886 886 920 955 1,014 1,060 1,082 1,126 1,152 1.172 480
1 :|
10 696 708 702 756 790 824 845 890 910 950 950 916 904 928 960 1,028 1,064 1,110 1,140 1.150 1,164 468 493
Stocking
A N I M A L 12 702 744 690 756 804 830 866 920 950 990 1,000
987 9%
1,002 1,042 1,102 1.140 1.158 1.190 ' 1.208 1.234 532
Rates
No.
4 736 734 736 780 830 828 836 884 868 824 802 756
962 964 1.016 1.068 1,090 1,110 1,126 1,144 408
1 -i
8 696 714 704 744 770 780 804 850 838 818 748 694
934 956 1.026 1.056 1.076 1.092 1.120 1.137 441 430
11 710 708 6%
746 790 800 822 866 850 840 780 758
952 956 1,028 1,072 1,094 1,122 1.140 1.152 442
2 736 730 712 754 786 804 828 850 830 832 784 736
956 962 1.012 1.014 1,036 1.048 1,060 1,058 322
1 : |
7 738 746 722 782 800 802 815 790 752 705 668 610
892 888 958 968 992 972 994 1,006
268 270
9 700 690 696 734 764 776 766 746 720 680 640 610
836 834 864 900 912 932 934 922 222
103
As both live and dressed weights were available for each beast, it was possible to calculate the percentage of dressed weight. (Range 59.1 per cent, to 62.0 with the exception of beast No. 7—56.1 per cent.)
In order to estimate value of the gain by each beast and for each paddock, the percentage dressing was applied to the amount of gain for each beast and the value of the gain calculated from the price per pound received.
Stocking rates 1 : 1, 1 : f and 1 : i received payment at Is. 8d. per lb. while 1 : f received Is. 9^d. The lower price was due to overfatness.
An inspection of the carcases showed that in all cases except the animals from density 1 acre, there was much fat in all parts of the body. There was at least one inch of back fat and in some places, up to two inches. There was a mass of fat around the kidneys and in the mesenteric areas.
The gross value of the gain for each paddock and each beast was estimated as:—
Stocking Rate—
P e r Paddock.
£ s. d.
80 17 6 76 5 0 66 0 6 42 12 6
Per Beast.
£ s. d- 26 19 2 25 8 4 22 6 2 14 4 2 1 : 1
1 : | 1 : i 1 : I
It thus would appear that the returns per paddock and per beast were in the order of stocking density, i.e., in the order 1 : 1, 1 : f, 1 : \ and 1 : f.
However, when the figures are converted to returns per acre, the result is differ- ent:—
Stocking Rate 1 : 1 ...
1 : J ....
1 : i ...
1 : t -.
Gross Return.
£ s. d.
80 17 6 76 4 10 66 0 6 42 12 5
Area Acres.
3 2 i 1*
H
Return.
Per Acre.
£ s. d.
26 19 33 17 44 0 37 17
Table 2 . — A v e r a g e weight per animal (lb.)
Date Weighed 7/11/63 20/12/63 1/1/64 20/1/64 8/2/64 25/2/64 16/3/64 10/4/64 15/5/64 16/6/64 8/7/64 27/7/64 11/8/64 8/9/64 6/10/64 13/10/64 3/11/64 1/12/64 24/12/64 12/1/65 28/1/65 18/2/65 5/3/65 Gain in weight (lbs.) ....
Gain in lbs. per acre
\
Stockin 1 : 1 1 : |
729 714 709 757 797 842 867 905 930 957 955 939 943 987 1,048 1,117 1,165 1,191 1,214 1,239 1,243 514 514
697 721 692 753 799 829 861 910 928 967 958 930 929 950 986 1,048 1,088 1,117 1,152 1,170 1,190 493 657
I Rates
1 : i
714 719 712 757 797 803 821 867 852 827 777 736
946 959 1,023 1,065 1,087 1,108 1,129 1,144 430 860
1 : * 725 722 710 757 783 794 803 795 767 739 697 652
895 895 945 961 980 984 9%
995 270 720
104
A comparison between rates 1 : 1 and 1 : f shows t h a t the more heavily stocked paddock gave the greatest return per acre
—£33.17s. 8d. as against £26 19s. 2d..
Despite the unusual system of grazing used, i.e., the animals were not removed from their paddocks for over 15 months and thus were kept unchanged during periods when pastures are sluggish and almost dormant, the result tends to con- firm the belief that heavier stocking rates than usually employed, could be profit- able.
The problem, however, is to what extent can density be increased. The results from the other two paddocks provide some clue. It is obvious that they were too heavily stocked during the winter and that the 1 : f paddock was too harshly dealt with throughout the trial.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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