Weanlings weather winter well

LIVE weight gains of up to 0.9kg per day for outwintered weanlings have been achieved in trials at the Teagasc Grange centre in Co Meath.

Three groups of continental weanling bulls with an initial live weight of 342kg were rotationally grazed on pasture over the winter. A fourth group were fed ad lib silage on outwintering pads.

From the beginning of December to the beginning of April, the three groups on pasture got pasture allowances of four, seven and 10kg of feed dry matter per head per day. The fourth group received silage ad lib.