Fallstudie av 10 skånska gårdar för en lönsam stutproduktion

Sammanfattning: During the summer of 2005 a number of steer producers in Skåne, Sweden, found that their animals graded less favourable according to the EUROP carcass grading system when slaughtered, than ordinary. The aim with this project was to determine factors that affects the production result in steer production and to find the reason to the lower classification. The project was initiated by Anita Persson, LRF, Skåne and was preformed with supervision from Ingemar Olsson, SLU, and Jens Fjelkner, Skånesemin. Ten producers of dairy steers located in Skåne was chosen for this study. The producers were interviewed to collect information about their steer production with respect to their planning and results. All producers delivered beef carcasses to one of two trademark concepts for locally produced beef, "Skånskt naturbeteskött" or "Ica naturbeteskött. These farm data constituted a base for the rest of the work and for extracting factors that differ and were common for the farms and important for the result. The factors below were chosen for the literature study: • The calf and its first time in life • Ring worm • Distillers grain as feed to cattle • Pressed beet pulp as feed to cattle • Potato pulp as feed to cattle • Silage quality and its effect on the feed intake • Semi-natural pasture • Concentrate supplement and compensatory growth These factors, among other, do affect the production result if they are mistreated. The calf has to have a good start in life. The relationship between age and weight has an important role when the calf is to be transported to the steer producer. A older and heavier calf has a higher resistance to diseases such as diarrhoea and respiratory diseases, which are common when calves are transported at a young age and placed together with other calves form different farms. Whether the calf's health gets better or worse if they are housed in a open or insulated stable is uncertain. The health of the calves is also affected of ring worm and the lack of vaccination. Ring worm is a common disease in dairy cattle and transportation of calves from different farms increases the risk of spreading it to both humans and other animals. Vaccination program is available and should be used. The farms in this study are located in the north-east of the Swedish province of Skåne. A large distillery is also located in this region which makes wet distillers grain an attractive alternative protein feed for the steer producers. Some of the producers also use potato pulp and sugar-beet pulp. These three feeds are bi-products from the human food industry and they have a low DM content. Distillers grain has a DM of 9%, sugar-beet pulp, 27% and potato pulp has a DM of 14%. Silage quality is of great importance when it comes to steer production though it is an extensive production with silage as a major base in the feed rations. The quality can be affected by a number of factors such as the ensiling process, time of harvest, storing and packeting. Most of the producers in this study do not analyse their silage which leads to an uncertainty in the rations and the nutrition the animals gets from their feed. One condition to deliver meat to the actual concepts is that the animals have to graze semi-natural pastures. These pastures have a lower nutritional value than fertilized pastures and the yield is also less. The pasture enriches the countryside and the producer is entitled to contributions from the European Union. A good grazing strategy is entitled to utilize these pastures to their maximum. One steer per hectare and over 10 cm grass sward height makes a good growth and meet classification. When the steers are about to be slaughtered concentrate supplement can be fed to increase the growth. Some of the producers in this study applies this strategy. According to experience 5 month of concentrate supplementation is to prefer and a start weight of 400 kg. Ad lib. concentrate feeding for the last three month is in favour of a constant supplement in the ration. Rations for each farms were calculated and at some of the farms a less favourable ration may be one reason for the lower grading of the carcasses. Other factors affecting the result may be the lack of minerals in the ration and at pasture. Semi-natural pastures don't have the same mineral content as fertilized pastures so mineral supply is of great importance. These factors are just some of the possible reasons for the less satisfactory carcass grading and growth of the steers. The stable climate is another important factor that is most important, although not discussed in this context. No specific factor has been found to be the reason for the lower grading during the summer of 2005 in this work, although all the aspects mentioned are of great importance for a successful steer production.