Overview

It is with great pleasure that the Department of Animal Science hosts the annual Animal Science Feedlot Challenge in 2022. Vleissentraal Bosveld and AgriGauteng approached Prof Edward Webb with this initiative in 2019 and it was an opportunity which could not be turned down. The proposal was recommended by the Department of Animal Science and approved by the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences as a core practical training component in the 4th year of the BScAgric Animal Science degree programme. Our major purpose as Animal Scientists is to contribute to food security in South Africa by ensuring that quality, safe, and efficient food production occurs. One of the major red meat producing industries in our country is the feedlot industry. A feedlot feeds young cattle high energy and protein diets, thus cattle reach the ideal body weight and carcass composition in a relatively short period – the turnaround time to produce one 250 kg lean carcass is shorter in the feedlot than on rangeland. Thus, the feedlot industry is highly efficient. The price margin is small and all feedlot management aspects play a role in determining whether the feedlot will be successful or not. In Beef Management and Nutrition (BMN 420) module, all the theoretical knowledge of feedlot management is discussed – how to design a feedlot, what cattle are best suited to a feedlot, feed phases, feed formulating and mixing, processing protocols, growth promotants, cattle handling, and common feedlot diseases and treatments. This is presented along with Meat Science (VSX420) which focuses on the science of meat production and factors that influence the quality attributes of meat. The UP-Agric Feedlot Challenge thus slots in perfectly with these modules and will provide practical knowledge and experience on all the different feedlot management aspects. The theoretical modules and practical feedlot project, therefore, provide an in-depth study of the production cycle from farm to fork.