D.L. MICHALK¹, W.J. RYAN² and HUANG ZHI-KAI³

¹NSW Agriculture, Agricultural Research and Veterinary Centre, and
²Business Unit, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
³Lechang Model Livestock Farm, Lechang County, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China

Abstract

A whole-farm feed management system was developed for beef cattle in north Guangdong Province centred around the growth cycles of adapted pasture and forage species. For every 100 breeding cows, about 250 animals (or 154 AU) must be supplied with forage from pasture throughout the year. Late winter-early spring is the critical period of feed shortage for a breeding enterprise in this region. Integration of pasture types (tropical-temperate-forage crops) will reduce this period of feed shortage. Based on these assumptions, managers should aim to establish areas of tropical pastures, temperate pastures and forage crops in the ratio 8.5:4:1. Adjustment for year-to-year variation in supply can be made by implementing short-term management practices such as strategic selling of stock, urea–molasses supplementation, and extension of tropical pasture growth using deferred grazing and nitrogen application. Guidelines are presented in pasture and herd management plans to assist Chinese farm managers coordinate operations for breeding-and-fattening enterprises in north Guangdong Province. However, the plans will need to be adjusted as more technical and economic information becomes available.