The development of a production system for beef animals on Cenchrus ciliaris pasture: Part II.

Abstract

Three years' results from a trial designed to develop a production system for a breeding herd of beef animals are presented. The trial, located in the northern Transvaal, comprised 30 ha of dryland Cenchrus ciliaris grazed by 30 cows and their calves. During the 1973/74, 1974/75 and 1975/76 seasons the pasture produced 28, 3 262 and 207 grazing days/ha as well as 2, 7, 1, 8 and 4, 1 tonnes of hay/ha respectively. Average 205-day corrected weaning masses of the heifer calves were 189, 196 and 184 kg, and that of the bull calves 200, 208 and 188 kg respectively.

Keywords: breeding; calves; cenchrus ciliaris; cows; dryland; grazing; northern transvaal; pasture; production; south africa; weaning mass