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Effects of replacing ground corn with Nopalea cochenillifera meal on the intake, performance, and economic viability of grazing steers

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing different levels of spineless-cactus meal instead of ground corn on supplements for crossbred steers grazing in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandú pastures. Forty crossbred steers with an average body weight (BW) of 261 ± 7.46 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design. In supplements, the ground corn grain was substituted with 0%, 30%, 60%, and 90% spineless-cactus meal. The substitution of spineless-cactus meal instead ground corn promoted a linear decrease in the ether extract (EE; P = 0.03) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC; P < 0.01) intakes. The apparent digestibility of EE was influenced (P < 0.05) showing a linear decrease. The apparent digestibility of NFC had a quadratic effect (P = 0.03). For the neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein, the apparent digestibility increased linearly (P = 0.01). The average daily gain showed a quadratic effect (P < 0.01), with a maximum response estimated at 44.94% (1055.52 g/day) substitution with spineless-cactus meal for ground corn. The cost per animal per period and the cost per hectare decreased linearly (P < 0.01). The revenue, net revenue, exchange rate, and monthly revenue of the activity showed quadratic responses to the spineless-cactus meal supplements (P < 0.01), with maximum effects at 44.99%, 47.46%, 61.25%, and 57.35%, respectively. The substitution with up to 44.94% of spineless-cactus meal for ground corn provided daily gains, increased the feed conversion, and was favorable as a cost to the production system. Moreover, the profitability increased with maximum animal performance and improved use of fiber from pastures.

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Funding

The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Bahia State Research Support Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia, FAPESB) for the financial support granted for this research project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Itapetinga, Bahia, 45700-000, Brazil

    George Abreu Filho, Robério Rodrigues Silva, Fabiano Ferreira da Silva, Ana Paula Gomes da Silva, Tarcísio Pereira Paixão, Sinvaldo Oliveira de Souza, Mateus de Melo Lisboa, Daniele Soares Barroso & João Wilian Dias Silva

  2. Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-110, Brazil

    Henry Daniel Ruiz Alba & Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho

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  1. George Abreu Filho
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  2. Robério Rodrigues Silva
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  4. Ana Paula Gomes da Silva
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Contributions

Conceptualization: George Abreu Filho, Robério Rodrigues Silva, Fabiano Ferreira da Silva, Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho. Methodology: George Abreu Filho, Robério Rodrigues Silva, Sinvaldo Oliveira de Souza, Mateus de Melo Lisboa, Daniele Soares Barroso. Formal analysis and investigation: George Abreu Filho, Ana Paula Gomes da Silva, Tarcísio Pereira Paixão, Sinvaldo Oliveira de Souza, Mateus de Melo Lisboa, Daniele Soares Barroso, João Wilian Dias Silva. Writing, original draft preparation: George Abreu Filho, Robério Rodrigues Silva, Fabiano Ferreira da Silva, Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho. Writing, review and editing: Sinvaldo Oliveira de Souza, Mateus de Melo Lisboa, Daniele Soares Barroso, João Wilian Dias Silva, Henry Daniel Ruiz Alba, Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho. Funding acquisition: Robério Rodrigues Silva, Fabiano Ferreira da Silva, Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho. Resources: George Abreu Filho, Ana Paula Gomes da Silva, Tarcísio Pereira Paixão, Daniele Soares Barroso, João Wilian Dias Silva. Supervision: Robério Rodrigues Silva, Fabiano Ferreira da Silva, Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho.

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Correspondence to Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho.

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The current study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use of the Southwestern Bahia State University (approval no. 45/2013).

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Filho, G.A., Silva, R.R., da Silva, F.F. et al. Effects of replacing ground corn with Nopalea cochenillifera meal on the intake, performance, and economic viability of grazing steers. Trop Anim Health Prod 54, 35 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-03029-y

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