Forage systems for beef production from conception to slaughter: III. Finishing systems

Fall-weaned Angus calves grazed or were fed different forages during winter followed by 1) N-fertilized tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) grazed alone, 2) bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.)-white clover (Trifolium repens L.) sequence grazed with tall fescue-red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), or 3) bluegrass-white clover sequence grazed with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)-orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Heifers were supplemented with grain at 1% of BW from April until slaughter in July. One-half of steers were supplemented with grain at 1% of BW from July until slaughter in October. Remaining steers were fed no grain but were finished on corn silage supplemented with .9 kg of soybean meal per steer daily, from October until slaughter in late January. Including alfalfa-orchardgrass in systems during the finishing phase resulted in higher daily and total gains during the grazing period, and carcasses had more marbling and higher USDA quality grades at slaughter compared with carcasses of cattle on systems using fescue-red clover. Correlation of final weight with carcass characteristics was low (r < .5). Performance and carcass characteristics were influenced as much or more by forage consumed during the previous wintering phase as by forage fed during the finishing phase. Wintering cattle on stockpiled fescue-alfalfa or alfalfa-orchardgrass hay generally resulted in higher BW at slaughter and more desirable carcass characteristics than systems using tall fescue alone or in combination with red clover. This was particularly notable in steers that grazed without grain until October and were finished on corn silage plus supplement. Final BW and carcass characteristics in all cattle were improved by full season grazing followed by feeding corn silage, compared with cattle finished with grain on pasture.