The effects of strip grazing stockpiled permanent pasture on the performance of non-lactating, gestating beef cow

To determine if extending the grazing season affects cattle performance in New Liskeard, four groups of cattle strip grazed stockpiled pasture in the fall of 1998 and 1999. The mean weight change for heifers housed indoors was 49.9 kg in 1998 and 70.3 kg in 1999. For mature cows the mean changes were 68.2 kg in 1998 and 72.7 kg in 1999, with corresponding changes for grazing heifers of 60.1 kg in 1998 and 39.9 kg in 1999. Indoor cows had greater body weight changes (P < 0.05; SE +/- 0.52) than grazing cows in 1999 but not in 1998. Body condition scores (1 to 5 scale) decreased more (p < 0.05) for all outdoor cattle (-0.19 +/- 0.03) than indoor cattle (0.16 +/- 0.04) in 1999, but there was no difference (p < 0.05) in 1998. Grazing cattle deposited more (p < 0.05) mm of backfat (2.01 +/- 0.16) in 1998 while the indoor cattle deposited more (p < 0.05) mm of rumpfat (4.7 +/- 0.15) in 1999. Frequency of fence movement did not affect (p < 0.05; SE = 0.03) cattle performance. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).