An experimental trial was conducted at Carillanca Experiment Station (INlA, Temuco), during 6 years to develop a beef production system with Hereford cattle and a tall fescue-subclover mixture pasture, under dryland conditions. The pasture was rotationally grazed and the surplus was conserved as silage to be used during winter. The fertilizer applied was determined by soil test analysis. The stocking rate was adjusted according the surplus of forage conserved each year. The calving was concentrated during August and September. The replacement heifers were managed in arder to obtain the first calving at two years old. March-April was the period of weaning and animal selection. AII the old dry cows, non selected heifers and calves were sold at this time, each year. The pasture production was 8,579 kg D.M./ha with 69.4% of fescue (Festuca arundinacea Sch.) and 8.4% of subclover (Trifolium subterraneum). rhe herd fertility rate was 91.7% and mortality rate was 2%. The weaning liveweight at 205 days reached figures of 185 and 180 for the male and female calves, respectively. The liveweight production increased from 294 to 493 kg/ha since the first to fifth year, to decrease at 471 kg/ha in the sixth year. In the same period the stocking rate increased from 1.6 to 2.5 A.U./ha. As a conclusion, the system yields 460 to 490 kg of liveweight per hectare with an stocking rate of 2.1 to 2.3 A.U./ha. |
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