PERFORMANCE OF BEEF STEERS ON SMUTS FINGER GRASS AND NILE GRASS PASTURE IN NORTHERN NATAL .2. FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING SUMMER GRAZING

In a previous trial, weaner steers were wintered at one of three growt h rates (0, 0.3 and 0.6 kg/day) after which they grazed either Smuts f inger grass (Digitaria eriantha spp eriantha) or Nile grass (Acroceras macrum) pastures, each at one of three stocking rates (6, 8 and 10 st eers/ha) over the summer grazing period. In the present trial, the eig hteen-month-old steers originating from that trial were subjected to f our different feedlotting systems. The feeding regimes comprised a far mers' mix (FM), feeding with beef pellets and whole maize (BPM), feedi ng finisher feed with milled hay (FFH), and a complete feed (TR). Stee rs were fed to a set target mass. Average daily gains of 1.859 +/- 0.0 56, 1.799 +/- 0.091, 2.119 +/- 0.067 and 1.981 +/- 0.042 were measured for the FM, BPM, FFH and TR treatments, respectively. No relationship between the preceding wintering levels, summer stocking rates or summ er pasture on the one hand and feedlot growth rates or mass gain on th e other hand were found.