ChileanJAR

The effeet of lorage conservation was evaluated durlng a lour vear perlod (1987-1991) on pasture production and on young steers during early lattening, at Remehue Experimental Station (Osorno, Chile). This experiment was carried out using two intensive svstems ler steer growing. One system included 25% surlace conservation and the other one none during winter time (100-122 days), but using molasses as a supplement (2 kg/animal/day). Two pasture paddocks of three ha eaeh were used. The stocking rate used was 5.3 steers/ha during the lirst year and 4.66 the next one. During the third and lourth year, treatment with lorage conservation used 4 steers/ha. Both treatments considerad a decrease of 50% stocking rate during Summer. No effects either in botanical compasition of pastura nor in dry matter production were observad. On animal performance differences between 19 and 46% greater were obtained in treatment supplemented with molasses. Treatment including lorage conservation produced 949, 608, 874 and 737 kg liveweight/ha, respectively ler the lour vears. Treatment which included molasses produced 1,182; 816; 1,010 and 1,076 kg liveweight/ha, respectively, being this a more propitable alternativa.