Manejo productivo de un sistema intensivo de engorde vacuno, en ...

ABSTRACT
The current situation of cattle business in Colombia reflects low productivity,
influenced by high production costs, nutritional deficiencies, poor pasture
production, extensive grazing and low stocking / Ha. Meat production is below 250
kg / ha / year, doesn’t make competitive the current livestock systems. Faced with
these realities, I documented and analyzed the management of an intensive
system of beef fattening "feedlot" in Meyer Ranch, located in North Dakota, USA. I
described in detail the facilities and health, nutritional and economic management,
in order to gain experience and knowledge for my future career as a livestock
industrial.
Feedlot facilities require a special design that allows efficiently daily activities.
Respiratory diseases were the main health problem, followed by digestive
disorders and finally, different causes of morbidity or mortality.
The processes and costs involved in planting, harvesting and storage of raw
materials produced on the farm and used in the fattening ration were described,
also the chemical composition of the different materials used in the fattening ration
were analyzed. Productive efficiency in the feedlot cattle was evaluated through
certain parameters such as total gain, average daily gain and feed conversion.
In conclusion of this work, it is possible to realize the technological level has been
reached in livestock production. The term "feedlot" is a clear demonstration of this
technology applied to intensive beef production.
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