Relationship among residual feed intake, digestibility and ingestive behavior in Nellore heifers

Authors

  • Elaine Magnani Secretaria da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Agronegócio de Bovinos de Corte, Sertãozinho, SP
  • Cleisy Ferreira do Nascimento Secretaria da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Agronegócio de Bovinos de Corte, Sertãozinho, SP
  • Renata Helena Branco Secretaria da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Agronegócio de Bovinos de Corte, Sertãozinho, SP
  • Sarah Figueiredo Martins Bonilha Secretaria da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Agronegócio de Bovinos de Corte, Sertãozinho, SP
  • Enilson Geraldo Ribeiro Secretaria da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Agronegócio de Bovinos de Corte, Sertãozinho, SP
  • Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante Secretaria da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Agronegócio de Bovinos de Corte, Sertãozinho, SP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17523/bia.v70n2p187

Keywords:

beef cattle, feed efficiency, intake, rumination

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate digestibility and feeding behavior of Nellore heifers belonging to different classes of residual feed intake (RFI). Thirty-two heifers ranked high in RFI (0.491± 0.51 kg/d; n=15) and RFI low (- 0.447 ± 0.51 kg/d; n=17) with a mean age of 502 ± 23.61 days and average weight 364 ± 27.96 kg were kept in confinement for 48 days, with formulated diet based on Tifton 85 hay, corn, cottonseed meal and urea, and ratio of forage: concentrate ratio of 45:55%. The parameters analyzed were digestibility, ingestive behavior and their correlation. Animals low RFI showed higher digestibility of dry matter (DMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and cellulose that high RFI animals (49.14% versus 45.38%, 56.65% versus 49.88%, 49.96% versus 45.08%, 61.61% versus 56.40% for DMD, NDFD, ADFD, CELD, respectively). These results indicate that more efficient animals have better food utilization. No differences were found in the variables of ingestive behavior among classes of RFI. Changes in the RFI can be partly explained by the digestibility of nutrients, which is related to ingestive behavior of animals.

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Published

2013-02-11

Issue

Section

ANIMAL NUTRITION

How to Cite

Relationship among residual feed intake, digestibility and ingestive behavior in Nellore heifers. (2013). Bulletin of Animal Husbandry, 70(2), 187-194. https://doi.org/10.17523/bia.v70n2p187

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