Studies on the feeding of supplements to beef cattle on grass

Four trials were carried out to determine the effect of feeding a supplement to stirks 6–9 months of age when turned out to grass. In two trials there was no response and in two there was a response to supplementary feeding. No response was obtained in five trials when supplements were fed to store and fattening cattle. The feeding of undecorticated cotton cake did not have any apparent effect either on rate of live-weight gain or on scouring. It is concluded that while the feeding of a supplement to young animals can bejustified when maximum live-weight gain is required, feeding of supplements to older cattle cannot be recommended so long as the animals are grazing good swards.