Beef Cattle Trial

 

 

 

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

 

Description:

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%

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Extremely good results! Those growth results are not that common in European countries, mainly because growth stimulants are not allowed, but the difference is outstanding with control, which received the same feed and "extras".

We thank Mr Izak Brand and the Manager of Meebos Farm for this very useful contribution!

-Ad Visser 

Vossen Laboratories