?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Organic+steer+production+based+on+dairy+breed+bull+calves+-+a+farm+study+in+Denmark&rft.creator=Nielsen%2C+Dr.+B.K.&rft.creator=Kristensen%2C+Dr.+T.&rft.creator=Thamsborg%2C+Professor+S.M.&rft.subject=+Production+systems&rft.description=The+objective+of+this+study+was+to+describe+organic+steer+production+on+farm+level.+Six+Danish+organic+farms+were+part+of+the+registration+program+including+3+dairy+farmers+and+3+crop+farmers+buying+dairy+breed+bull+calves+from+organic+dairy+farmers.+All+farmers+had+a+steer+production%2C+some+of+them+were+recently+started+and+some+had+an+established+steer+production.+The+experiment+endured+2+years+from+January+2000+to+April+2002.+Registrations+included+liveweight%2C+feed+consumption%2C+welfare+and+slaughter+results+with+special+emphasis+on+the+fattening+period.+Welfare+registrations+were+based+on+a+scheme+describing+the+system+as+well+as+the+animal+during+winter+when+stabled+in+the+barn+and+during+summer+on+pasture.+Registrations+were+measured+on+the+system+as+well+on+the+animals.+Daily+gain+on+pasture+varied+from+533+to+823+g+and+covers+grazing+on+ryegrass%2Fclover+pastures+as+well+as+marginal+grazing+areas.+On+most+of+the+farms+steers+grazed+both+kind+of+pastures.+Gains+during+the+stable+period+varied+from+562+to+867+g%2Fday+between+the+farms.+Feed+consumption+per+steer+per+year+was+1770+SFU+%C3%82%C2%B1+186+based+on+4+farms.+Feed+consumption+in+summer+accounted+0.47+to+0.57+of+total+feed+consumption+(DM)+per+year.+Pasture+accounts+for+0.22+to+0.56+and+concentrates+for+0.16+to+0.37+of+the+total+dry+matter+(DM)+consumption+per+year.+Management+strategies+concerning+the+fattening+of+steers+were+different+between+the+6+farms%2C+as+liveweight+(458-595+kg)+and+age+(20-25+months)+at+start+of+fattening+and+at+slaughter+(565-667+kg+and+23-28+months)+and+length+of+fattening+period+(2.3-3.4+months)+varied.++Feeding+during+the+fattening+period+was+based+on+1.3+to+4.7+Scandinavian+Feed+Units+(SFU)+concentrates+per+steer+per+day+and+silage+ad+libitum.+The+total+amount+of+cereals+consumed+in+the+fattening+period+was+100-357+kg%2Fsteer.+Only+few+steers+were+fattened+on+pasture.+It+seemed+that+whole+crop+silage+is+preferred+to+grass+silage+in+the+fattening+period.+Slaughter+results+show+a+variation+between+farms+in+slaughter+percentage+from+49.4+to+53.8%2C+carcass+conformation+from+3.5+to+4.9+and+fatness+from+2.5+to+3.2.+Liveweight+at+slaughter+was+the+only+variable+with+general+effect+on+carcass+conformation+on+5+farms++(0.6+point+on+the+EUROP-scale+with+increase+in+100+kg+liveweight+at+slaughter).+The+welfare+registration+scheme+indicates+good+conditions+both+in+the+barn+and+on+pasture%2C+low+disease+rate+and+minor+problems+concerning+welfare+aspects+in+organic+steer+production.+It+is+concluded+that+great+variation+between+farms+concerning+management+strategies+shows+the+possibilities+for+improving+the+production+system.+Fattening+strategy+should+focus+on+liveweight+at+slaughter.+Length+of+fattening+period+as+well+as+daily+gain+during+the+fattening+period+in+the+range+practiced+on+the+farms+seemed+to+be+of+minor+importance+with+regard+to+carcass+conformation.++&rft.date=2003&rft.type=Journal+paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=source&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F1873%2F1%2Forganic_steer_production.doc&rft.identifier=Nielsen%2C+Dr.+B.K.%3B+Kristensen%2C+Dr.+T.+and+Thamsborg%2C+Professor+S.M.+(2003)+Organic+steer+production+based+on+dairy+breed+bull+calves+-+a+farm+study+in+Denmark.+Acta+Agricultur%C3%83%C2%A6+Scandinavica.+Section+A.+Animal+Science.+[+Unpublished%2C+]&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F1873%2F