What are the three key techniques for fattening Qinchuan cattle?
Qinchuan cattle are widely raised by farmers because of their strong adaptability, fast weight gain, high meat yield, low cost and high efficiency. Because of their good carcass meat quality, they have been rated by the catering industry in Hong Kong, China as the world's second-best beef cattle breed. In the fattening process of Qinchuan cattle, three key techniques should be grasped: breed selection, feed composition and feeding methods.
1 Cattle selection
For the fattening of Qinchuan cattle, generally the first-generation crosses of Simmental, Charolais, Limousin and other breeds with Qinchuan cattle are selected as fattening cattle. The age should preferably be over 1 year old, and the body weight around 300-350 kg. The body condition should be good, with a large belly and a straight back. The fattening time is generally in the three seasons of spring, autumn and winter.
2 Feed composition for fattening cattle
Commonly used feeds include green fodder, cornstalk silage, dried wheat straw feed, sugar beet pulp, etc. Mixed concentrate composition: cornmeal 25 kg, soybean meal 10 kg, wheat bran 15 kg, bone meal 500 g, salt 500 g.
3 Feeding methods
The fattening period of Qinchuan cattle is 100-120 days. A physical examination should be carried out before fattening. Sick cattle, older cattle and especially thin cattle should not be used as fattening cattle. Purchased cattle should be dewormed internally and externally. Commonly used drugs are levamisole hydrochloride, trichlorfon, etc. Use tethered feeding to limit the amount of exercise. During the day they are tied in the yard, and at night they are led into the cattle shed. Cattle are fed mainly with green hay, and when feeding with distillers' grains, etc., it must be increased from less to more so that they adapt. After 15 days, gradually reduce the amount of hay and increase the amount of distillers' grains. In order to ensure normal digestion and a strong appetite in cattle and promote rapid weight gain, the diet should be appropriately supplemented with mixed concentrate. The hay given should be chopped short, and the concentrate should be mixed into the hay feed. Feed 3 times a day, provide enough drinking water, and feed carefully at the trough. During feeding, pay attention that the feed must be fresh, free of impurities, free of mold and free of spoilage. In winter, feeding can use hay, ammoniated feed, stored feed, sugar beet pulp, etc. Each head is fed 16-18 kg of ammoniated feed per day, or 30 kg of sugar beet pulp, with 50 g of salt supplemented daily. The cattle shed should be kept dry and clean, with suitable ventilation, and kept warm in winter. Clean manure frequently, disinfect cattle shed utensils regularly, carry out vaccination on schedule, and brush the cattle body frequently in the morning and afternoon. As for certain weight-gain agents, try not to use them. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture said: even if they make weight gain fast, they still must not be used. This is to avoid affecting the quality of the beef.