Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
The grazing feed intake of four ¾ Brahman and four purebred Hereford steers was measured on four occasions during 12 months while they grazed improved pastures in a cool temperate environment. When pen fed roughage diets, the excretion pattern of chromic oxide and faecal nitrogen–digestibility relationships were also investigated in these animals.
There were no breed differences in the relative recovery of Cr2O3 in the faeces when bulking 10.00 and 17.00 h samples nor were there breed differences in the faecal nitrogen–digestibility regression obtained. However, although there were large discrepancies between feed intake and live-weight change when measured in different seasons, the Herefords had the higher feed intake on each occasion while breed differences in live-weight change were non-significant.