Finishing cattle at grass

[shields kaiser]

Is anyone here doing this in native x cont cattle (650 - 700Kg mature weight) at around 16 to 18 months of age and achieving good fat grades?
If so, what grazing system is being run? (Rotational, strip, techno grazing?)
Also, what DLWG's are you achieving from point of entering grazing to Killing?

I'm interested in improving what we do at home
Many thanks!

 

[unlacedgecko]

https://www.talkinggrass.co.uk/2016/09/20/doubling-output-buying-land-power-grass/

 

[henman]

I have 70 14month continental cattle moving everyday, yes they are doing well but I do not think they will finish on grass they will have to go into a shed to finish on cereals.
Would cattle finish on zero grazed grass in a shed instead of cereals for the last 3 months

 

[gone up the hill]

Is anyone here doing this in native x cont cattle (650 - 700Kg mature weight) at around 16 to 18 months of age and achieving good fat grades?
If so, what grazing system is being run? (Rotational, strip, techno grazing?)
Also, what DLWG's are you achieving from point of entering grazing to Killing?

I'm interested in improving what we do at home
Many thanks!

Wishfull thinking to expect cattle to get to those weights at only 16/18 months old and be a 3/4 fat class on grass alone!

You would be looking at a growth rate of 1.2 kilos head a day from the day of birth to day they go up the ramp, would be some going to do that off just grass alone and there wouldn't be able to be any check in daily growth rates when you turn out etc, yes a few animals might do 1.2+ kilos/ head a day but as an average across the board its highly unlikely, average growth rates at grass would be 1 kilo/ head a day.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

The best results I ever had was feeding crimp barley add lib on grass in the summer .

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Wishfull thinking to expect cattle to get to those weights at only 16/18 months old and be a 3/4 fat class on grass alone!

You would be looking at a growth rate of 1.2 kilos head a day from the day of birth to day they go up the ramp, would be some going to do that off just grass alone and there wouldn't be able to be any check in daily growth rates when you turn out etc, yes a few animals might do 1.2+ kilos/ head a day but as an average across the board its highly unlikely, average growth rates at grass would be 1 kilo/ head a day.

I don't know. With the right breeds and management I would have thought it achievable. Depends on winter regime I guess. My stabiliser heifers had average quality silage over winter plus 2kg of barley from Nov to just after turn out and were around 400kg at 12 months old. So steers should be 450 ? A good rotational / techno grazing system should be able to have them doing 1.2kg/ day or more? I've heard of people getting 2-3kg/ day from bulls at grass so why not? May be tail enders in to finish indoors?

 

[Cowgirl]

It would be fine if we didn't have wet cold long winters...

 

[tinsheet]

I don't know. With the right breeds and management I would have thought it achievable. Depends on winter regime I guess. My stabiliser heifers had average quality silage over winter plus 2kg of barley from Nov to just after turn out and were around 400kg at 12 months old. So steers should be 450 ? A good rotational / techno grazing system should be able to have them doing 1.2kg/ day or more? I've heard of people getting 2-3kg/ day from bulls at grass so why not? May be tail enders in to finish indoors?

Neighbours doing a bloody good job with his stabilizers, plenty of red clover silage during winter months helps!
I'm trying the same with Hereford and Angus fingers crossed, this time next year Rodney!.

 

[gone up the hill]

I don't know. With the right breeds and management I would have thought it achievable. Depends on winter regime I guess. My stabiliser heifers had average quality silage over winter plus 2kg of barley from Nov to just after turn out and were around 400kg at 12 months old. So steers should be 450 ? A good rotational / techno grazing system should be able to have them doing 1.2kg/ day or more? I've heard of people getting 2-3kg/ day from bulls at grass so why not? May be tail enders in to finish indoors?

Yep but you are feeding barley in the winter months so not off grass alone.

You might get 2 kilos a day for a bull calve suckling a milky cow on good grass but again 3 kilos head a day is just pub talk ( except for the odd animal of course )

No way anyone is getting 2/3 kilos head a day for bulls on grass alone!

All the grazing experts say that if you can average 1 kilo head a day off grass alone you are doing a good job.

This year cattle like sheep are doing very well on grass currently but this year is an exception to the rule than for most years.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Yep but you are feeding barley in the winter months so not off grass alone.
OP didn't say what the winter regime was, but mine were only on average silage so I'm sure it it could be bettered.

You might get 2 kilos a day for a bull calve suckling a milky cow on good grass but again 3 kilos head a day is just pub talk ( except for the odd animal of course )
No, bulls on grass alone. I heard 1 person claiming it, then talking to a grassland consultant he said he had clients doing that.

No way anyone is getting 2/3 kilos head a day for bulls on grass alone!
But the op is talking steers, and I'm really interested in what can be achieved, rather than the usual "it can't be done'
All the grazing experts say that if you can average 1 kilo head a day off grass alone you are doing a good job.
As above, it was a grazing expert that told me.
This year cattle like sheep are doing very well on grass currently but this year is an exception to the rule than for most years.

My best bulls were 700 kg at 12 months this year. I'd love to be brave enough to run them on grass and see what could be done.
Trouble is the 16 month limit means I'm not sure I can afford to take the risk.

 

[gone up the hill]

My best bulls were 700 kg at 12 months this year. I'd love to be brave enough to run them on grass and see what could be done.
Trouble is the 16 month limit means I'm not sure I can afford to take the risk.

Impressive if your bulls averaged 1.8 kilos head a day from day of birth to the day they were 12 months old across the board!..

You must have just about the highest growth rate in the country!

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Impressive if your bulls averaged 1.8 kilos head a day from day of birth to the day they were 12 months old across the board!..

You must have just about the highest growth rate in the country!

It would be.
READ THE POST!

 

[Crofter64]

I finish my beef on grass. It takes from 20-28 months and I wait till they are ready as I direct market all my meat. My winters are 6 months and I feed only first cut hay till calving/ lambing and then switch to 2 nd cut. No silage . The cows are all dairy cows with plenty of milk so I buy extra calves and each cow gets and extra calf or two. These extra calves are grown for veal (5-7 months) and they help with the cash flow.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

https://www.talkinggrass.co.uk/2016/09/20/doubling-output-buying-land-power-grass/

Nice so simply done.

 

[jackrussell101]

Surely finishing beef off grass is the most profitable but obviously takes longer, what's the quickest you could finish native heifers off grass say?

 

[Samcowman]

Surely finishing beef off grass is the most profitable but obviously takes longer, what's the quickest you could finish native heifers off grass say?

I’ll let you know in the autumn. Hopefully 20months for some Angus heifers which will be empty at PD but should be a couple there fit to go.

 

[Woolless]

I remember a Borders grazing group meeting one mid-September we were looking at some very fit 18mo Angus cattle and the discussion was whether the host should hang them up before housing. He remarked that his father had drawn fat cattle off grass regularly but that hardly anyone did now. The point was made that they'd probably have a growth check at housing, so maybe just to cash them at that point and save any further expense.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Surely finishing beef off grass is the most profitable but obviously takes longer, what's the quickest you could finish native heifers off grass say?

I’ll let you know in the autumn. Hopefully 20months for some Angus heifers which will be empty at PD but should be a couple there fit to go.

What do you envisage as first winter's ration? Silage? Outwintered on roots?
Also depends when you calve I guess cos if you calved February it would give greater scope for finishing at grass in the second summer than an April/May calving?

 

[Danllan]

The best results I ever had was feeding crimp barley add lib on grass in the summer .

Did you repeat it?

 

[Samcowman]

What do you envisage as first winter's ration? Silage? Outwintered on roots?
Also depends when you calve I guess cos if you calved February it would give greater scope for finishing at grass in the second summer than an April/May calving?

Silage with a bit of barley and beans in their first winter. Feb March born. Usually have some ready beginning of October after housing beginning September just to be able to finish them, so with better grazing management and a kinder summer with any luck should be able to get some away start of September. Fingers crossed