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On the programme farms that take cattle through to slaughter, male animals are predominantly finished as young bulls under 16 months of age.
Over the various phases of the BETTER Farm programme, the farmers running such systems have generally had the highest gross margin per hectare.
While the majority of bulls finished are spring-born animals, there are farms operating autumn-calving herds, with male cattle finished as bulls during November and December.
With autumn-born bulls coming up to 11 and 12 months of age, these animals should have completed their growing phase and be ready to enter the final intensive finishing phase.
Finishing bulls requires top-class management. Given the high level of concentrate feeding involved, poorly managed animals will not give a return on the amount of purchased feed consumed. Outlined are 10 steps to finishing autumn-born bulls.
1 Introduce finishing ration at grass
Feeding 4kg/day of finishing ration for a 10- to 14-day period prior to housing helps to smooth the transition from grazing to intensive feeding indoors.
This reduces the risk of animals suffering from digestive upsets when housed, or any loss in performance during the transition period.
2 Housing
Bulls approaching 11 to 12 months of age should be housed for intensive feeding in August. Ideally, bulls should be in the region of 450kg to 500kg liveweight, depending on age, when housed.
As grass quality starts to become more variable in late summer, dry matter energy intakes will fluctuate, which affects liveweight gain. Bulls will benefit from early housing and being offered a consistent diet until sold for slaughter.
3 Group bulls based on finishing weight
When housing, pen bulls in groups based on similar age, liveweight and size. But more importantly, group animals based on their final liveweight.
This ensures animals have adequate lying space from the outset and eliminates the need to re-group animals towards the end of the finishing period.
For a group of 10 bulls gaining 1.5kg/day, this equates to the group gaining 105kg of liveweight each week. Over a 12-week period, this is the equivalent of adding two more bulls to the group.
4 Clipping cattle at housing
Clipping bulls along the back and head will reduce the risk of animals overheating when housed, thereby reducing the risk of pneumonia.
When clipping backs, remove a strip around six inches wide either side of the spine. Clipping the animal’s tail and hind quarters will also improve the cleanliness of bulls.
When clipping animals, always ensure bulls are securely restrained in a head-locking gate and that the operator can safely access the animal.
5 Ration type
Where bulls are in the region of 500kg liveweight and 11 months old, the animal should have developed adequate frame. Therefore, the final 120 to 160 days of feeding should be geared towards increasing fat cover.
Opt for a high energy, low protein ration. Rations should include a high barley and maize content, along with a good fibre source like soya hulls and beet pulp.
Keeping protein levels to around 13% will encourage bulls to put on fat cover rather than lean muscle.
6 Ad-lib feeding
Where the preferred finishing system is to offer ad-lib concentrates, build cattle up to such levels over a 10- to 14-day period after housing. Increase concentrate levels by 1kg every third day until they reach ad-lib levels.
Make sure the feeder never runs out. If feeders do run empty for more than a four-hour period, build cattle back up to ad-lib feeding to avoid bulls developing acidosis.
Ad-lib feeding works well in sheds where pens have limited space at the feed barriers, as it will ensure all bulls will receive adequate concentrates.
With ad-lib feeding, make sure bulls have a good fibre source, such as straw, or unchopped silage.
7 High-quality silage and concentrates
An alternative to ad-lib feeding is to offer high-quality silage (D-Value 70+) and 8kg to 10kg/day of concentrate, depending on animal type.
However, the important part of this option is that all bulls must be able to feed at the same time, otherwise dominant bulls will consume more than their allocation of ration, while weaker bulls are underfed.
Feeding high-quality silage limits the amount of concentrate used and this option has been successfully implemented on the programme farms for a number of years.
8 Regular weighing
Bulls should be weighed at housing and again on a monthly basis to monitor performance on a high-concentrate diet. Bulls should be averaging between 1.5kg and 2kg/day during the intensive finishing period.
Once the value of weight gain falls below the cost of daily feed intake, bulls should be marketed as soon as they reach an acceptable fat cover.
9 Parasite control
Bulls should also be treated for internal and external parasites as necessary when housed. If animals require a worm or fluke drench, then choose an appropriate product with a withdrawal period that will expire well before target slaughter date.
10 Water
When bulls are offered a high-concentrate diet, they should have unrestricted access to fresh, clean drinking water at all times.
Bulls on ad-lib concentrates can drink between 40 and 60l of water per day. If water is soiled, bulls will drink less, which will lower concentrate intakes and ultimately weight gain.
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