Meat Production per Acre under Various Stocking Systems

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 96, Issue 3, 15 March 1958, Page 275

Meat Production per Acre under Various Stocking Systems

By

c. p. McMeekan,

Superintendent, Department of Agriculture's Ruakura Animal Research Station, Hamilton

FOR a number of years the Ruakura Animal Research Station has been studying the efficiency of meat production per animal and per acre under different systems of farming. The study is designed ultimately to cover all the major variations normally possible in the ratio of sheep to cattle and in the type of cattle used. During the first 4 years three systems were studied. In one system, typical of that in most fat lamb country of the North Island, 4 breeding ewes were run per acre plus cattle wintered. The second system had a higher stocking rate of 6 breeding ewes per acre plus cattle bought in spring and fattened. In the third system 8 breeding ewes per acre were run without cattle. This first stage of the study was designed to answer two main questions: First, how meat production is affected by the ratio of sheep to cattle, and secondly, what disadvantages, if any, to stock health are associated with an all-sheep policy. This article, an adaptation of a paper presented at the Ruakura Farmers' Conference Week in 1957, discusses the second stage of the study, but first a summary of the information derived from the first stage is given.

IN the first 4 years the farms with 4, 6. and 8 ewes per acre taught six main lessons, which are listed below with a brief discussion on their significance to sheep farming. FIRST PHASE OF EXPERIMENT Production Target The study set a production target for the North Island meat producer. It showed that an output of 2501 b. of dressed meat per acre is a reasonable

expectation from a well-managed meat-producing farm on average fattening country farmed under a grassland system. This finding could be of very great importance to New Zealand, since by setting an attainable target well above the present average level of productivity, it could start a production drive with profound effects on the country’s economy. Thirty years ago the development of a comparable target for the dairy industry had this effect. E. J. Fawcett’s

demonstration that a yield of 2001 b. of butterfat per acre was a reasonable expectation from a North Island grassland dairy farm so fired the imagination of extension workers and progressive farmers that very many dairymen today have not only attained but surpassed this level of efficiency. The Economic Service of the Meat and Wool Boards indicates that the average level of productivity from North Island meat-producing farms is only a little better than one-half the 2501 b. of meat suggested as practicable. The author is confident that if advisory services and progressive farmers would accept this finding and act on it a very material increase in average productivity of fattening farms would result. Sheep to Cattle Ratio The second important outcome of the study was the demonstration that this

output of meat is not affected by the ratio of sheep to cattle.. Approximately the same yield was obtained from the three farming systems. This finding is important because it shows that to achieve over-all efficiency in the utilisation of grassland for meat production the farmer has a wide choice of sheep to cattle ratios without affecting the productive level of his farm. Such flexibility is important economically. Lamb Production , Though meat per acre was not affected by the sheep to cattle ratio, the study showed conclusively that the amount of lamb meat that can be produced from each acre of grassland is directly dependent on the number of breeding ewes carried. At 8 ewes per acre the output of lamb meat was 80 per . cent, greater that at 4 ewes per acre. Six ewes per acre yielded 50 per cent, more fat lamb meat than did 4 ewes. Weight per lamb, however, declined with increasing stocking rate, so that the average lamb weights were lowest on the 8 ewes per acre farm and intermediate on the 6 ewes per acre. Actual differences were: 4 ewes, 34.51 b.; 6 ewes, 33.31 b.; and 8 ewes, 31.61 b.

If maximum output of lamb meat is the objective, a high stocking rate of breeding ewes is essential. Fortunately, this requirement also results in lambs conforming to the present demand for lighter carcasses. Farmers, therefore, can achieve both a greater output of lamb meat and lambs of weights nearer the commercial ideals of today by the simple expedient of increasing the number of ewes carried. Wool Production , T J , , , .. No reference to meat production in New Zealand can ignore wool, which contributes so substantially toward the cost of producing both lamb and beef. The study showed that the yield of ™ tothe numbeTof ® carried Desnite a lower clin ner ewe S 42 Der cent P O re wool wasPn?o---d e d the 6 ewes D er acre farm ~ ® .. f with 4 ' a a J 1 , 80 ™ t s P a f, e ’. ° U per cent, more was ° ®-V? 1 W 1 t 6 hlgh - s ca y g capac ty ’ Quality of wool was slightly affected, Finer wool was produced under the higher stocking rates, but the percentage of cotted fleeces and fleeces with break was greater. These defects,

however, did not reduce the price per pound, which was highest for the finest wools produced under the 8 ewes per acre system. The gross cash return of wool per acre was thus substantially greater on the higher - stocked units. The lesson to the meat producer is obvious. Health of Sheep of special interest were possible effects on the health of sheep run at such widely different stocking rates. Traditionally, sheepmen have believed that count can get shee psick; that tronble „ fram internal narasites increase; and that O ver-all health problemg are greater w hen sheep are carr j ed a t a high rate per acre, especially when only sheep are run Though the study ran for only 4 years, U is more than interesting that there was no difference in ewe deaths, there was no difference in lambing percentage, there was no difference in lambing losses, and the worm burden carried y the lambs at slaughter was identical under the three stocking rates. No trouble was experienced from worms and no drenching of either ewes or lambs was found necessary under the three systems.. These points are worth remembering if only

to remove the fears of some sheepmen about possible hazards of heavy stocking with sheep.

Beef Production Factor

The study high lighted the contribution of cattle to productive efficiency. The results showed quite clearly that if the grass produced on a wellmanaged grassland fattening farm is fully utilised, the lower output of lamb meat from a low sheep stocking, rate can be made up by a compensating output of beef. Both on the 4 ewes per. acre and on the 6 ewes per acre units the beef produced was sufficient to bring the total meat output to the same level as that obtained from lamb alone on the 8 ewes per acre farm. Unfortunately, since beef meat on the average is worth only half the value of lamb meat to its producer, gains from the cattle run were relatively less profitable. This finding is very significant both to the . individual farmer and to the country as a whole because it means that the profitability of meat production is closely related to a high ratio of sheep to cattle.

In the second phase of the study the 4 ewes per acre unit has been managed in the same way as during the first 4 years. As the “standard” system this unit is a connecting link between the two . stages of the study and enables reasonable comparisons to be made between the results of the first series and the results of the present series. The 6 ewes per acre and 8 ewes per acre farms were replaced by straight beef-producing units. On one the objective was the production of chiller beef from a herd of Aberdeen Angus breeding cows maintained on the area. The other has been a straight fattening farm on which the object has been maximum output of beef per acre with bought store cattle as the material.

Beef Production

In this study there has been especial interest. in the relative efficiency of the breeding cow as contrasted with the fattening steer and, of course, with straight cattle production as compared with production from both sheep and cattle. Interest in this phase of meat production stems from the general argument that some day it may be necessary for this country to restrict its lamb production because of market saturation. In this event beef is the only foreseeable alternative if the national production level is not to stand still. In any event, an expanding local population must increase the need for beef. Beef production is a subject on which we have little factual information, but this study provides a little useful material.

The three farm units used were approximately 50 acres each and were similar in soil and pasture type. Topdressing was the same on each area. On the 4 ewes per acre farm 200 ewes were bought each February and

SECOND PHASE

managed on the Ruakura-recom-mended system of set stocking from lambing until weaning and on rotational grazing at all other times. Twelve 18-month-old and 12 weaner cattle were also carried, the weaners being bought each autumn or winter, depending on the feed supply. The breeding unit carried a breeding herd of 30 Aberdeen Angus cows. Twelve weaner steers and 5 replacement heifers were kept each autumn and the remainder of the calf crop sold. Twelve steer progeny were fattened off at 2 to 2| years as chillers. The average stocking rate thus consisted of 30 cows, 12 weaner steers, 12 18-month-old fattening, steers, and 5 replacement heifers on the 50 acres.

On the bullock-fattening farm part of the cattle were bought in autumn each year and wintered on hay grown on the property and the remainder were brought on in spring as pasture growth became more plentiful. On the average 40 steers were wintered and 20 to 30 bought in spring, giving an average output of between 60 and 70 fat cattle per year. All cattle were typical 3- to 4-year-old stores from hill country. All hay used for wintering cattle on the three farms and for facial eczema control on the 4 ewes per acre farm was grown on the properties concerned. Each was managed as an independent unit.

Production Results

Mean output of meat per acre from the control area of 4 ewes plus cattle was 2301 b. dressed weight. The breeding cow farm yielded 2171 b. of dressed beef. The bullock area yielded 2551 b. of meat per acre. The production of 2301 b. of dressed meat from the 4 ewes per acre farm was 301 b. lower than that obtained in the first 4 years, when the figure averaged 2601 b. This drop was due almost entirely to a lower beef output. The output of lamb meat was the same as in previous years. The drop in beef was due mainly to two relatively poor grass seasons, which resulted in poorer hay crops.

Production was also affected because in two seasons facial eczema precautions had to be taken and hay had to be diverted from use by cattle during winter to protection of the ewe flock. In these two seasons, in consequence, the cattle could not be bought until mid-winter, so that the area was deprived of part of its normal increment of beef.

The output from the breeding cow farm relative to that from the bullock farm substantiates the view that the breeding cow is a relatively inefficient producer of meat. Yield was nearly 401 b. of beef per acre less than that obtained from steer fattening. This figure reflects the lack of economy of maintaining approximately two breeding cows for the production of one

steer. In the same way, the fact that the bullock farm yielded 251 b. more meat per acre than did the fat lamb farm is some measure of the high feed cost of maintaining a breeding ewe. It has already been pointed out that the continuance of the 4 ewes per acre unit throughout the two periods allows comparison of the relative production under the five systems of stocking studied so far. After the necessary adjustments for seasonal differences had been made relative productions were as follows: lb. per acre 4 ewes per acre .. .. 245 6 ewes per acre . . . . 245 8 ewes per acre . . . . 240 Breeding cows . . .. 230 Bullock fattening .. .. 270 These figures can be described as the “expectancy” from different classes of meat-producing farms. This term has been borrowed from the dairyman, who evaluates his bull on the basis of the “expected” performance of his daughters. It is hoped that meat producers attempting any one of these systems will not be as frequently disappointed as dairy farmers are in obtaining the expected yields.

Cattle Gains

Some of the more interesting results of this study relate to the gains made by the different ages and types of cattle under the different stocking systems.

On the fat lamb area the cattle tended to suffer from competition with sheep. Though the average rate of gain of the stock from 1 to 1| years was very good at 1.31 b. per day, that of the fattening animals was relatively poor, averaging only lib. per day. This was due primarily to the fact that under fat lamb conditions fattening cattle in spring and summer have to share available feed with ewes and lambs, and if necessary have to take second place. Cattle of the same age and over the same period on the beef cattle farm averaged 1.41 b. per day.

On the breeding cow farm the best performance was shown over the calf stage. Of extreme interest was the gain of 3701 b. during the first 6 months of life of calves born on this area, exactly the same as it was during, their next 12 months. Average rates during these two periods were thus I.Blb. per day from birth to weaning and 11b. per day from weaning until 1J years old. The poorer performance during the older stage was probably due to the fact that preference under this system had to be given to stock actually being fattened. Thus, their older mates from 1| to 2 and 2| years of age averaged 1.41 b. gain per day. Cattle produced on this area were of

very high quality, all grading as top level chillers.

The heavier cattle on the steer farm showed the highest gains. The cattle wintered gained an average of 21b. per day from the time of purchase until fattening. Those bought in spring averaged over 2|lb. per day until slaughter later in summer. These very high gains are typical of stock that have gone through a long store period. When subsequently placed on ample feed such animals tend to make up rapidly for lost time by daily gains far ahead of those possible in an animal that has been well fed throughout its life. Though impressive, these gains suffer from the defect that a high proportion of them tends to be fat rather than lean meat.

The quality of the cattle from this block was poor for modern market requirements. They were excessively heavy for the export trade, carried too much fat, and the lean meat was coarse. It is quite obvious that, except for local production, there is little place, if any, in this country for this particular system of farming.

Profits

Despite the fact that the breeding cow farm produced only 131 b. of dressed meat per acre less than the 4 ewe per acre unit, the profits on stock were only half as much, £9 per acre as against £lB.

Profit from straight fattening was even worse. Over the 3 years bullock fattening returned a profit on a stock account basis of only £7 per acre, despite the relatively prolific output of over 2701 b. of dressed meat per acre. Again, this should be contrasted with £lB per acre from the 4 ewes plus cattle. It is obvious that straight cattle production, whether on a basis of breeding cows or fattening bullocks, is a system of farming possible only to the gentleman farmer in this country.

If the work of the 7 years is considered together, perhaps this last thought provides a key to the most important national outcome. It is obvious that future large-scale development of beef production in New Zealand depends on the relative prices of fat lamb, wool, and beef, as while the present ratio of lamb prices to beef prices continues and while reasonably high wool prices are maintained farmers cannot be expected to increase beef production .to any material degree.

This does not mean that lamb prices should fall to the level of beef prices so that more beef will be produced. It means that the relative importance of the fat lamb and beef cattle industries in New Zealand depends on the relative prices paid for these ■ two products.