Producing Quality Beef from Dairy Stock

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 89, Issue 6, 15 December 1954, Page 593

Producing Quality Beef from Dairy Stock

THERE appears to be an assured export market for meat, particularly beef. For this 1 reason increased meat production is being emphasised in the Dominion's agricultural P k' k Y ‘ a k + frOn | x h !i market ° r be r in th n n ? ed WT' Oth f e k C f an Tk- of ,. sale which could be exploited are opening, Generally, the world is short ot beet. I his article, adapted from an address given at the Ruakura Farmers' Conference 1954 by P. Radford, Research Officer, Ruakura Animal Research Station, Department of Agriculture, Hamilton, describes the results of tests carried out at Ruakura with progeny of Jersey and Aberdeen Angus cattle and appraises prospects of beef production from dairy stock.

THE dairy farmer has on his farm the raw material from which to the d progeny f of U ove7 a ho0 E 0 a 0 C 0 h dairy cows ar? slaughtered within a few d™ ™ f e birth S as <‘bobbv’ ? ?alvel The product is low-grade low-nrS rhe product is low-grade low priced mSt’ prodSct”?Shat of mlintainilS the mother during her 9. months of pregnancyhas already been paid. A substantial proportion of these mothers could be used as incubators for the production of calves with a better beef potential. Such calves would provide extremely cheap raw material for fattening, since such a method would not involve the maintenance of heavy -breeding cows which

would return only the value of their calves. Tt is true that the specialised dairy breeds are not good beef producers, The Jersey, particularly, has a poor reputation for fleshing qualities, fat cover> and fat marbling; and suffers from the ma i OT detect of yalk ™ fat Because of the national importance of the problem, however, Ruakura has been investigating the possibility of producing a saleable veal and beef quality animal from Jersey cows by crossing them with a highly improved beef breed. For this purpose the Aberdeen Angus has been selected and the results of some preliminary studies are given here.

It is obvious that crossbred stock of this type and origin may contribute i?cr?a C s r dd^ersm f catro°n of dSryfarmjng j n varying ways. Two obvious avenues are in the production of goodquality veal and of young, light beef of 5001 b. carcass weight. n the first method the dairy farmer ra f e( j milk surplus to pig-keeping needs and sell them direct to butcher! or exporters as veal In the second he could sell the stock as weaners, runners, or stores to fat lamb farmers requiring cattle for fattening. Ruakura experiments so far have aimed at studylng these two systems only ' PRODUCTION PP VPAI rixkJUUV/1 ikJIN 'Jr VEAL In this study there were three main objectives: — . * j. x,. * * b Measurement of the performance of crossbred calves in terms of rate an “ efficiency of liveweight gams, 2. Assessment of the carcass quality of crossbreds as commercial vealers.

3. Estimation of the financial returns likely from the utilisation of separated milk in veal production. Two experiments have been completed, the first with a group of 10 autumn-born calves, and the second with a group of 12 spring-born animals. Though autumn-dropped animals are not likely ever to be very important in total available numbers, their 1 performance under hand-rear-ing conditions was considered likely to be similar to that of spring-born stock, and their use made it possible for the work to start several months earlier. The autumn calves were purchased when 2 days old from a nearby town supply farmer, and the spring lot from a butterfat supply herd in which the cows were predominantly Jersey type. Most of the calves varied from light to dark brown when bought, but were uniformly black when slaughtered. A few from one herd, though by an Aberdeen Angus bull, were red at birth and did not change colour with age. All were polled.

Procedure in Trial The aim in feeding was to keep the amount of whole milk used at a minimum and the separated milk at a maximum. Thus whole-milk feeding followed the pattern found effective in the rearing of dairy calves at Ruakura. Whole milk alone was fed for 3 weeks at the rate . of 8 pints . per day in 2 feeds. In the next 3 weeks this rate was tapered off and separated milk was used to replace the whole milk, until at 6 weeks only separated milk was fed. Full feeding was practised thereafter. Table 1 shows the feeding rates used. It will be noted that an even smaller whole-milk ration was fed to springborn calves. This was to reduce costs. Tapering off started after the first week and separated-milk feeding began 2 weeks earlier. In another experiment there has been a further reduction in feeding of whole milk, feeding of it being stopped after 4 weeks instead of 6 weeks. All calves were allowed free access to good-quality pasture from the beginning of the experiment. Rotational grazing was practised as recommended by Ruakura in the rearing of dairy calves. The experiment terminated at 17 weeks for the autumn calves and 18 weeks for the spring calves. The animals were slaughtered and the carcasses were examined carefully for quality. A sample of 6 calves (3 of each sex) was dissected to provide data on the make-up of the carcasses.

Rate and Efficiency of Gain . All calves grew very well, making gains substantially better than very well reared Jersey calves fed similarly and rotationally grazed. Growth rates . for the two groups and for straight Jerseys are shown in Fig. 2. The crossbred calves averaged 631 b. at 2 days of age on arrival at Ruakura. This corresponds to a “birth weight” very close to that of both straight Jerseys and straight Aberdeens. The autumn group averaged 2921 b. at 17 weeks, an average weekly liveweight increase of 13|lb. The corresponding figure for the spring group was 2961 b., so the weekly gain was practically the same. This group averaged 3101 b. when slaughtered at 18 weeks. These growth rates are very similar to those of bust-fed straight Aberdeen Angus calves. These gains were made on a total of 35 gallons of whole milk and 315 gallons of separated milk fed to the autumn group and 26 gallons of whole milk and 363 gallons of separated milk to the spring group. If whole milk is considered to have twice the feeding value of separated milk, the autumn group required 385 gallons of separated milk equivalent, and the spring group 415 gallons. Though the latter group were fed a week longer for a greater total gain, the efficiency of the two groups was the same. The calves of each group re-

quired an average of 16 pints of separated milk equivalent for each pound of liveweight, and 23 pints for each pound of final final dressed carcass. The uniform behaviour of the two groups has thus justified the

assumption that during hand feeding the time of birth should not materially affect performance. Carcass Quality The type of animal resulting is illustrated in Fig. 3, which shows an average autumn-born calf at birth and just before slaughter at 18 weeks. It is a good-type beef-quality animal, showing marked evidence of the blockiness of the Aberdeen Angus. The calves were slaughtered at Ruakura. The autumn group averaged 1301 b. dressed weight, with a dressing-out percentage of 52. The spring group averaged 1431 b., with the same dressing-out percentage. A typical carcass is shown in Fig. 4. The following is a fair summary of the average quality of the carcasses. On a New Zealand grading basis all were in the prime class. They carried a good proportion of flesh and had light bone and no obvious waste. Despite the good grading results, however, a fair criticism was that they all had insufficient fat cover for really top-quality veal. This opinion was shared by experienced butchers. As mentioned earlier, 6 carcasses were dissected. Carcass composition examination supported the above opinion. Fleshing was good, with an average carcass content of 70 per cent, muscle or lean meat tissue. Bone averaged 20 per cent, of the total carcass, which is reasonable for such lightweights. Fat was light at 8 per cent. Waste and dissection loss was very low at 2 per cent. Of special interest was fat colour. In no carcass was there any evidence of yellow fat. Every carcass carried fat of a good white colour. This result is the same as that recorded at Ruakura several years ago when 20 bust-fed Aberdeen Angus-Jersey cross heavy vealers or runners were slaugtered at approximately 8 months of

age. Here also no yellow fat was observed and fat colour was white and texture uniform and firm. Colour of muscle is also important. High-quality veal must have very light-coloured flesh, and the crossbred calves in both groups came out very well in this respect, the flesh being very pale. However, muscle colour was not as light as was obtained in Britain with vealers hand reared in the dark on whole milk, the method used before the war in the production of highestprice meat of this type. No criticism of the eating quality of the meat was received by the butchers. There is no doubt that an easily saleable, good-quality ' product was obtained. Financial Returns The cost of production and the returns per gallon of separated milk used are set out in Table 2.

To arrive at these figures the cost of the calf at birth has been assessed at its bobby calf value of 30s. The whole milk used has been fully charged at Is. 6d. per gallon. The veal has been valued at Is. 6d. per pound. This latter figure has been obtained after consultation with local butchers, meat exporters, and by observation of local trade prices and probably represents a fair-value figure over a season. It can be considerably higher at times on the local market, depending on supply and demand. The cost of feeding, including calf cost, was higher for the autumn group than for the spring group owing to the larger amount of high-priced whole milk used with this group. For the same reason the net return per gallon of separated milk was higher with the spring group. Average cost per head for both lots was thus £3 155., and return, per gallon of separated milk 4d. At Is. 6d. per pound ■ the average J?turn from a 1361 b. carcass was £lO 45., which gives an average margin over calf and whole-milk costs of approximately £7. Since the production of veal of this type and in this manner on a dairy farm is an alternative or an ■ addition to pig production, it is of interest to compare _ the financial returns from calves with those from pork production, which Ruakura work has shown to be the most profitable method of utilising separated milk in pig raising. Table 3 makes this comparison. The returns per gallon from pigs are based on the performance results of pork production in the Ruakura piggery, where pig quality and feeding and management ■ methods are probably well above standard. On this basis a greater cash return from pork is shown. There is much evidence <to suggest however, that a figure of 4|d per gallon is nearer the return of good pig producers in practice. Since feed-

ing, housing, and management costs are likely to be much less in calf raising than in pig keeping, it is reasonable to suggest that the possibilities of profit from veal production on dairy farms are more attractive than those from pig production.

PRODUCTION OF LIGHTWEIGHT BEEF In this study, which unfortunately is not complete, the objective has been to see whether Aberdeen AngusJersey calves reared principally on separated milk and grazed on good pasture will produce good-quality lightweight beef carcasses before they are 2 years old.

Twenty-two calves were purchased in the spring of 1953. All were out of Jersey cows from Angus bulls. They were started off at Ruakura on hand feeding when 2 days old. To reduce costs the whole-milk feeding system, with a total of 26 gallons per calf, was the same as that for the spring-fed vealer group. As a further method of reducing costs feed intake of separated milk was limited to a maximum of 28 pints per day, in two feeds. As a still further approach to cost reduction, both in feed and labour, half the number were weaned at 8 weeks and the remainder went through on hand feeding until they were 18 weeks old, the weaning age of the spring group of vealers. Work with Jersey dairy calves at Ruakura has shown early weaning to be practical under the pasture and management conditions possible in New Zealand. The feeding chart used is set out in Table 4.

All calves were grazed together on the rotational plan on one of the Ruakura dairy farms until 18 weeks. Thereafter they were transferred to one of the sheep areas for eventual fattening on country running 6 ewes per acre. Rate, Efficiency, and Value of Gain The growth curves of the two groups are shown in Fig. 5. The period covers 22 weeks. At 18 weeks —an age comparable with that of the spring-fed vealer group, which was reared at the same time — average weight was 2961 b. for the group weaned at 18 weeks and 2331 b. for those weaned at 8 weeks. Thus, early weaning retarded growth-rate by 631 b. At 22 weeks this difference had been reduced to 301 b. At approximately 44 weeks the difference was only 101 b. This kind of result from early weaning is in close agreement with those obtained from several years’ experience of early weaning of straight Jersey calves in Ruakura experiments. An initial difference between normal weaning and early weaning has always been made up by the beginning of winter (at approximately 8 months of age). From several experiences of this kind with straight dairy-type stock the performance of the early-weaned crossbred calves suggests that the practice could be adopted as eminently practical under conditions where saving of labour and milk is important. At the same time, as J. C. Percival has emphasised from his early-weaning studies, the practice cannot be recommended unless rotational grazing management on a frequent shift-good quality pasture basis is used with it. . ■ A further picture of the type of liveweight growth obtained is shown in Fig. 6. Reared in the way described, the group weaned at 18 weeks, which had limited feed, grew less fast than the vealer group which was full fed, or than the bust-fed Aberdeens, but substantially better than the straight Jerseys. Finally, it may be noted that both the early-weaned and the late-weaned groups used 26 gallons of whole milk. If the cost of the calf is taken at 305., and whole milk is valued at Is. 6d. per gallon, the cost of production was £3 9s. each. The early-weaned group used 82 gallons of separated milk and the late-weaned 316 gallons. If the separated milk fed is valued at 4d. per gallon, the -weaned group would have to average £4 16s. per head and the late-weaned group £8 14s. when sold as weaners for fattening to give the same return as that from vealers or from pork production. Valuation at weaning for sale in this

way placed the early-weaned group at £8 and the lateweaned group at £9 a head. After the transfer of the calves to the sheep farm grazing management continued on a rotational plan. The grass conditions were poor initially owing to the severe dry period experienced in summer, but autumn and early winter grass supply was very good. Except for a check during summer, calf growth continued to be very good. In mid-June the early - weaned group averaged 4361 b. and the lateweaned group 4461 b. This figure may be compared with the 4481 b. of straight Aberdeen Angus calves born

about the same time, reared on the mother, and grazed similarly on a rotational plan. Both groups of crossbreds have been gaining from 101 b. to 121 b. per week. If this gain is maintained, carcasses of 4501 b. to 5001 b. should result by the end of this summer at 18 months of age. If so, they should qualify for the chillerquality beef premium and the stock should be worth approximately £3O per head on the farm. Everything points to this result being obtained. The animals are of very promising beef quality, showing

many of the characteristics of the Aberdeen Angus. Fig. 7 shows a typical crossbred runner at 8 months, with an average Aberdeen Angus and an average Jersey at the same age. Though any arguments advanced as e practical and economic future of either of the two systems described must be highly speculative, at present a ew comments seem worth making, , ~ ... , . X 1 First, 11 ls probable that much . of the adverse popular opinion against the Jersey as a source of beef is largely prejudice arising from the fact that most of such beef used in New

Zealand is from straight elderly Jersey cows which have passed the stage at which their meat is palatable. In suggesting that the Jersey may play a useful part, the author is thinking of half-bred Jerseys graded up in meat quality by a specialised beef breed, and of young crossbred carcasses, rapidly fattened on fatten-ing-quality pastures. If such cattle are handled under these conditions, there is at least a very good chance, judged from the way Ruakura animals are shaping, that they will provide better beef for either the local or export trade than. even straight beef types that have grown elderly on sparse hill-country pastures. It is considered that this much-despised cross could contribute substantially to the building of a large-scale and highly profitable export trade in chiller-quality beef. The idea of producing and eating beef with a dairy-type origin on one side, does not disturb an Englishman. At least half of the beef produced in Britain is of this type, and current methods there aim at an increasing exploitation of such stock through artificial breeding with beef bulls on dairy herds. There is obviously tremendous scope for similar, work in New Zealand. With 2,000,000 dairy cows available, 600,000 to 800,000 could be mated to beef-type bulls and still leave enough to provide straight dairy-type females for herd replacements. Obviously, if the: agricultural policy of the Dominion proceeds along the lines of greater diversification and more beef production, future increases in production from grassland could well exploit the beef potential of these cows.

Farmers Should Avoid Unregistered Stock Licks THE Stock Remedies Board is concerned about reports of the sale of stock licks alleged to contain certain chemicals which have not been approved in lick form by the Board. Venders of such licks usually approach farmers and suggest that a lick containing certain additional chemicals to those already approved by the Board can be manufactured for use on their farms. Because such licks are not manufactured for general sale the vender is not legally required to obtain approval and registration by the Board, and the licks may or may not be suitable for. the purpose, claimed. , Complaints have been received, but the Stock Remedies Board points out that it has no power to prevent sales of licks of this description by persuasive salesmen. Farmers would be well advised not to buy these so-called special stock licks and to. choose licks which have been registered under the . Stock Remedies Act. Information on . these can be obtained from Veterinarians and Livestock Instructors of the Department of Agriculture. The Stock Remedies Board can accept responsibility only for the claims made on the approved labels of registered licks.

* Allowing for 455. worth of butterfat consumed.

Pints whole whole Pints Pints skimmed skimmed Age milk daily milk daily weeks Autumn Spring Autumn Spring 0-1 8 8 — ■ — 1-2 .. 8 ' 7 1 4 4 2-3 8 6 —— 8 3-4 ■ 8 6 4 ~ 8 4-5 4 2 12 12 18 18 5-6 .. ... 4 1 16 24 6-7 — -—. 24 28 . . -—. - 24 28 7-8 . . • —■ — • 28 ad lib. 8-18 . . — — ad lib. ad lib. — — — Total (gallons) . . 35 26% 315 363 — - — ~——

TABLE 1—VEAL CALF RATIONS

Autumn Cost Spring Cost Calf £ S. < d. £ s. d. ,1 10 0 Calf 1 10 0 35 gallons of 26 gallons of whole milk Cost Spring Calf 26 gallons of 2 whole milk Cost £ s. 1 10 2 12 d. 0 6 whole milk 1 19 0 4 6 £ s. 1 10 1 19 d. 0 0 4 2 2 6 3 9 0 Return per Return per gallon of gallon of skimmed skimmed milk - 3.6d. milk 4.4d.

TABLE 2—REARING COSTS

Calves Pigs s. d. Pigs s. d. Carcass value .. 16 ..16 1 9 1 9 Return per gallon of skimmed skimmed milk .. .. .. .. *4 *4 5.3 5.3

TABLE 3—EXPECTED FINANCIAL RETURNS FROM VEAL CALVES AND PORK PIGS

Pints whole milk daily Pints skimmed milk dally Age (both Weaned Weaned weeks groups) 18 weeks 8 weeks 0-1 .. ..8 1-2 . . 7 4 4 2-3 .. . . 6 8 8 3-4 .. 6 8 8 4-5 .. 2 18 18 5-6 .. 1 24 24 6-7 .. — 28 20 7-8 .. — 28 12 8-15 — 28 — 28 — 15-16 — 24 — ■ 16-17 — 16 — 17-18 8 — Total (gallons) 26 316 82

TABLE 4—RATIONS FED TO EARLY- AND LATE-WEANED CROSSBRED CALVES