Animal finishing-phase response to modified intensive-early stocking on shortgrass rangeland1

A comparison of animal performance and carcass traits was made from 2002 to 2008 following the finishing phase of a continuous season-long stocking (SLS) system and a modified intensive-early stocking system with late-season grazing (IES 1.6× + 1) on shortgrass native rangeland of western Kansas. The continuous season-long stocked system placed animals at a density of 1.37 ha per steer from May through October, or 2.63 animal unit months/ha, whereas the intensive-early stocked system with late-season grazing (3.33 animal unit months/ha) stocked pastures at 0.85 ha per steer from May through the middle of July, moved the heaviest animals mid-July to the feedlot, and then stocked pastures at 1.37 ha per steer until October. Animals moved from pasture to the feedlot in July and October from the modified IES 1.6× + 1 stocking system were approximately 27.3 kg per steer lighter than the continuous SLS animals entering the feedlot from pasture in October. This greater BW entering the feedlot carried over into greater HCW at the end of the feeding period for the continuous SLS animals. Average daily gain, total individual BW gain, and feed efficiency were similar among groups at the end of the feedlot finishing phase. Marbling score was greatest for the continuous SLS animals, but fat thickness over the 12th rib was similar among groups. Differences between groups during the feedlot finishing phase appeared to be related more to size of animals when removed from pasture and duration on pasture more than any other factors.