Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing concentrate supplementation levels on the intake, nutrient digestibility, and performance of crossbred steers during the dry period of the year. The experiment was developed on Princesa do Mateiro farm, in the municipality of Ribeirão do Largo, located in the southwest region of Bahia State, Brazil. Forty uncastrated male crossbred (½ Holstein-Zebu) steers with an average body weight (BW) of 232.55 ± 24.97 kg were distributed into four treatments in a completely randomized design with ten replicates. The animals were managed in an experimental area formed by Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, in an intermittent grazing system. Treatments consisted of the following supplementation levels: 0.2% BW, with 60% crude protein (CP); 0.3% BW, with 40% CP; 0.4% BW, with 30% CP; and 0.5% BW, with 24% CP. The intakes of forage dry matter in kg/day and %BW and neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDFap) in %BW decreased linearly, whereas the intake of non-fibrous carbohydrates corrected for ash and protein in kg/day and average daily gain increased linearly. Therefore, the use of supplementation at 0.5% BW (24% crude protein) to provide gains of up to 0.500 kg/day is recommended for grazing steers during the post-weaning period in the dry season of the year.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aoac, 1995. Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International 16th ed, (Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington).
Aocs, 2005. American Oil Chemists’ Society. Official Method Am 5–04, Rapid determination of oil/fat utilizing high temperature solvent extraction. Urbana: Official Methods and Recommended Pratices of the American Oil Chemists’ Socity.
Araújo, IMM, Difante, GS, Euclides, VPB, Montagner, DB, Gomes, RC, 2017. Animal Performance with and without Supplements in Mombaça Guinea Grass Pastures during Dry Season. Journal of Agricultural Science 9, 145–154.
Campbell, AG, 1966. Grazed pastures parameters: I. Pasture drymatter production and availability in a stocking rate and grazing management experiment with dairy cows. Journal of Agriculture Science 67, 211–216.
Detmann, E, Souza, MA, Valadares Filho, SC, Queiroz, AC, Berchielli, TT, Saliba, EOS, Cabral, LS, Pina, DS, Ladeira, MM, Azevado, JAG, 2012. Métodos para análise de alimentos. ISBN: 9788581790206. 214p.
Detmann, E, Valente, EEL, Batista, ED, Huhtanen, P, 2014. An evaluation of the performance and efficiency of nitrogen utilization in cattle fed tropical grass pastures with supplementation. Livestock Science, 162,141–153.
Hall, MB, 2003. Challenges with non-fiber carbohydrate methods. Journal of Animal Science. 81, 3226–3232.
National Research Council, 1996. Nutrient Riqueriment of Beef Cattle. 7th ed. (Washington: National Academic Press), p.242.
National Research Council, 2001. Nutrients requirements of dairy cattle. (Washington: National Academy Press), 7. Ed,p.381.
Paulino, MF, Detmann, E, Valadares Filho, SC. 2006a. Suplementação animal em pasto: energética ou proteica. In: SIMPÓSIO SOBRE MANEJO ESTRATÉGICO DA PASTAGEM, 3. 2006, Viçosa, MG. Anais... Viçosa, MG: SIMFOR, p.359–392.
Paulino, MF, Moraes, EHBK, Zervoudakis, JT, Alexandrino, E, Figueiredo, DM, 2006b. Terminação de novilhos mestiços leiteiros sob pastejo, no período das águas, recebendo suplementação com soja. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 35, 154–158.
Prohmann, PEF, Branco, AF, Cecato, U, Jobim CC, Guimarães KC, Ferreira, RA, 2004. Suplementação de bovinos em pastagens de Coastcross (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers) no inverno. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 33, 4, 801–810.
Silva, JFC, LEÃO, MI. Fundamentos de nutrição dos ruminantes. (Piracicaba: Livroceres), p.380, 1979.
Smith, AM, Reid, JT, 1955. Use of chromic oxide as an indicator of fecal output for the purpose of determining the intake of a pasture herbage by grazing cows. Journal of Dairy Science 38, 5, 515–524.
Souza, MA, Detmann, E, Paulino, MF, Sampaio, C.B, Lazzarini, I, Valadares Filho SC, 2010. Intake, digestibility and rumen dynamics of neutral detergent fiber in cattle fed low-quality tropical forage and supplemented with nitrogen and/or starch. Tropical Animal Health and Production 42, 1299–1310.
Universidade Federal de Viçosa – UFV. SAEG – Sistema de análises estatísticas e genéticas 2000. Versão 8.0. Viçosa, MG, 142p. (Manual do Usuário).
Valadares filho, SC, Moraes, EHBK, Detmann, E. Perspectivas do uso de indicadores para estimar o consumo individual de bovinos alimentados em grupo. In: Gonzaga Neto, S, Costa, RG, Pimenta Filho, EC, Castro, JMC. (Org.). Anais do Simpósio da 43ª Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia. João Pessoa: Anais... SBZ: UFPB, 2006, 35, 291–322.
Van Soest, PJ, 1994 Nutritional ecology of the ruminant. (Ithaca: Cornell University), p 476.
Weiss, WP, Energy prediction equations for ruminant feeds. IN: CORNELL NUTRITION CONFERENCE FOR FEED MANUFACTURERS, 61., 1999, Ithaca. Proceedings… Ithaca: Cornell University, 1999, 176–185.
Wilm, HG, Costello, DF, Klipple, GE, 1994. Estimating forage yield by the double sampling method. Journal of American Society of Agronomy 36, 194–203.
Funding
This study was financially supported by the Research Support Foundation of the State of Bahia (FAPESB) (grant no. 432/2014).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Neves, D.S.B., Rodrigues Silva, R., da Silva, F.F. et al. Increasing levels of supplementation for crossbred steers on pasture during the dry period of the year. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 1411–1416 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1574-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1574-y