Beef Trial in Tulbagh, Western Cape
Trial Conducted On:
Beef Cattle – Hereford & Aberdeen Angus breeds
Trial Coordinator
Mr Izak Brand, Animal Health specialist – Vossen Laboratories with Boland Organic Solutions
Trial Farm:
Meebos Farm, Tulbagh
Boosting Beef Cattle Growth
The farmer had a problem with poor growth of his beef cattle – 800-850 gram per day. The farmer expected growth to be more.
The usual fattening of beef cattle starts at an early age of 9 – 10 months, with a live weight of 300 – 320 kg. The cattle then get slaughtered before they change teething to the adult stage (14 – 16 months). If beef cattle gets older than 16 months the quality of the meat drops from Grade A to Grade B while the income of the meat also drops. The preferred weight for slaughtering beef cattle is 450 – 480 kg with a age of 14 – 16 months.
Advised by Mr Brand, the farmer started using Vossen Laboratories health products Ateli Plus and Broeistop at the following rates:
- Ateli Plus (powder form feed additive): 25gr per animal per day
- Broeistop (liquid silage – and feed additive: 200 ml diluted with water per 1 000 kg total feed
Animals were weighted on the same day every week. The average was as follows:
- 1st Week: 1 100 g/day
- 2nd Week: 1 700 g/day
- 3rd Week: 2 100 g/day
- 4th Week: 2 500 g/day
Above results were measured on the total group of beef cattle. To witness the effect of Vossen products on the cattle, the trialed was conducted together with a control. Each group had 20 beef cattle and the trial was conducted over a period of 4 weeks.
Result:
- Control average per day: 1 800 g/day
- Trial average per day: 2 600 g/day
The difference shows a benefit of an extra 44%.
After 3 months the farmer changed the amount of roughage. This increased the total ration from 18% to 40%. The savings on Maize and Lupines bought, paid for the Vossen products.
Second Trial:
Another trial was conducted with only 20 gram of Ateli Plus per animal per day. Broeistop (a mixture of 1 litre pure Broeistop to 5 litres water) and using 1 litre of the mixture (200ml pure Broeistop) per tonne feed. The trial was conducted on the same farm with a new group of beef cattle.
- 1st Week: 2 970 g/day
- 2nd Week: 2 870 g/day
- 3rd Week: 2 780 g/day
- 4th Week: 2 810 g/day
Results
- The average growth on the trial group: 2 850 g/day
- The average growth on the control group: 1 800 g/day
The difference shows a benefit of 1 050 g/day resulting in an extra 58%.