@conference {3672,
	title = {BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Ad libitum fodder-beet and pasture beef-finishing systems {\textendash} intake, utilisation, grazing behaviour and liveweight gains},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {76},
	year = {2016},
	month = {07/2016},
	pages = {87-89},
	address = {Adelaide},
	abstract = {Traditionally, New Zealand (NZ) beef-production
systems rely almost solely on pasture production. However,
the seasonality of pasture growth, which affects quality
and quantity, impacts the productivity of the system, with
mean slaughter age of 26-36 months. In accelerated beeffinishing
systems internationally, cereal grains are used to
maintain energy intakes across the production cycle, at a
lower cost than is possible in NZ. A recent NZ development
in beef-production systems involves ad libitum intakes of
fodder beet (FB; Beta vulgaris) with minimal supplement
for 130 d from weaning to spring, and then 90 d of grazing
on grass-based pasture before slaughter. This system,
developed by Gibbs at Lincoln University, allows finishing
of spring born animals at 12-18 months of age (Gibbs et
al. 2015; Gibbs \& Saldias 2014a). Ad libitum intakes
after appropriate transition to FB are critical to system
profitability, and prevention of rumen acidosis (Gibbs
\& Saldias 2014b). However, previous NZ crop-feeding
experience with brassicas suggests that increased intakes
require reduced utilisation of feed (Rugoho 2013). There
is no published information on FB utilisation in ad-libitum
systems, where high pasture residuals at 24 h post-allocation
are used to ensure maximal intakes. Therefore, this study
was designed to determine utilisation, grazing behaviour
and intake patterns, and liveweight (LWT) gains, in steers
grazing FB and then spring perennial ryegrass (Lolium
perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens) based pasture.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Saldias B and Gibbs SJ}
}
