FORAGE SYSTEMS FOR BEEF-PRODUCTION FROM CONCEPTION TO SLAUGHTER .3. FINISHING SYSTEMS

Fall-weaned Angus calves grazed or were fed different forages during w inter followed by 1) N-fertilized tall fescue(Festuca arundinacea Schr eb.) grazed alone, 2) bluegrass (Pea pratensis L.)-white clover( Trifo lium repens L.) sequence grazed with tall fescue-red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), or 3) bluegrass-white clover sequence grazed with alfal fa (Medicago sativa L.)-orchardgrass( Dactylis glomerata L.). Heifers were supplemented with grain at 1% of BW from April until slaughter in July. One-half of steers were supplemented with grain at 1% of BW fro m July until slaughter in October. Remaining steers were fed no grain but were finished on corn silage supplemented with .9 kg of soybean me al per steer daily, from October until slaughter in late January. Incl uding alfalfa-orchardgrass in systems during the finishing phase resul ted in higher daily and total gains during the grazing period, and gen erally resulted in higher BW at slaughter and carcasses had more marbl ing and higher USDA quality grades at slaughter compared with carcasse s of cattle on systems using fescue-red clover. Correlation of final w eight with carcass characteristics was low (r <.5). Performance and ca rcass characteristics were influenced as much or more by forage consum ed during the previous wintering phase as by forage fed during the fin ishing phase. Wintering cattle on stockpiled fescue-alfalfa or alfalfa -orchardgrass hay more desirable carcass characteristics than systems using tall fescue alone or in combination with red clover. This was pa rticularly notable in steers that grazed without grain until October a nd were finished on corn silage plus supplement. Final BW and carcass characteristics in all cattle were improved by full season grazing fol lowed by feeding corn silage, compared with cattle finished with grain on pasture.