About the unit
Beef finishing systems refer to the management practices and feeding methods used to fatten cattle for market at their optimal weight and condition.
Beef finishing systems consists of three primary systems:
- Intensive
- Semi-intensive
- Extensive
Key factors include:
- Intensive systems (12-15 months): More reliant on concentrates, often suited for faster-growing breeds.
- Semi-intensive systems (15-20 months): Combine forage with a housed winter period and concentrate finishing.
- Extensive systems (20+ months): Focus on grass-fed finishing, with slower growth rates.
Within this unit we will look at each system in more detail.
Author: Sara Roberts