Effect of Winter Gain on Summer Rate of Gain and Finishing Performance of Yearling Steers

Authors

Dale Downs, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Galen E. Erickson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Don C. Adams, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Terry J. Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

January 1998

Comments

Published in Nebraska Beef Cattle Report 1998, published by Agricultural Research Division, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, and Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Abstract

The effect of winter rate of gain on subsequent grazing and finishing performance was evaluated using 80 medium- framed steers. During the winter period, steers were fed to achieve gains of approximately .7 (low gain; 40 head) or 1.7 lb/day (high gain; 40 head). Warm-season Sandhills range was grazed by 20 low-gain and 20 high-gain steers, while the other 40 grazed bromegrass pasture from May to September. Both low- and high-gain cattle grazing brome pasture gained slower than those grazing sandhills range. During summer grazing, low-gain cattle gained faster than high-gain cattle, but compensated for only 19.9% (sandhills) and 18.7% (brome) of the weight deficit following the low-gain winter treatment.