The use of high-forage systems for beef production is a particularly diverse subject area encompassing the role of both grazed and conserved forage and a wide range of production systems. These include systems such as 12-16 month silage-cereal beef, 16-18 month grass-cereal beef and 22-24 month grass beef for dairy-bred cattle, hill and lowland systems of suckled calf production and systems for finishing store cattle. Consequently, within the constraints of this paper it will be possible to examine only some of the most recent developments in the use of forage for beef production.

Digestibility is the most important factor influencing the value of conserved forage for beef production. From a review of eight comparisons in which silage has been offered as the sole feed, silage dry matter (DM) intake, live-weight gain and carcass gain were increased by 17 g/kg, 45 g/day and 33 g/day respectively per 10 g/kg increase in digestibility. In a further nine comparisons involving silages supplemented with concentrates, concentrates constituting 200 to 370 g/kg total DM intake, silage DM intake, live-weight gain and carcass gain were increased by 14 g/kg, 37 g/day and 28 g/day respectively per 10 g/kg increase in digestibility.