ChileanJAR

At the Remehue Experimental Station (INIA, Osomo), an intensive beef production system, on a ryegrass- white clover mixture, was conducted to produce bullocks at the age of 15 months and with 380 kg/head, ready for the meat market. An area of 4 hectares was used during three years, divided in 8 lots, with 6 calves/ha (24 calves), using a rotational grazing system. Calves entered the system at the age of three months. In winter a supplementation was used, but animals were kept on the pasture, without any protection. Dry matter production were 14,837, 12,057, and 12,507 kg D.M./ha, for the three periods, respectively; D.M. production curves, during each year, were also determined. The average initial liveweight for the three years was 103.3 kg and the final L.W. was 361.3 kg, corresponding to an increase of 269.4,248.7, and 254.6 kg/head, for each year. Animal outputs/hectare were 1,616, 1,492, and 1,532 kg of L.W., corresponding to 893, 826, and 846 kg of carcass/ha. The weight attained by the bulls was commercial due to their age, though the carcasses did not have much fato The system showed to be very profitable.