Supplementation of grazing zebu heifers, during the dry season, with roughage and concentrate

Authors

  • Roberto Pedro Benintendi Instituto de Zootecnia, Estação Experimental de Zootecnia de Ribeirão Preto, SP
  • Pedro de Andrade Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP

Abstract

This work was carried out to evaluate tha effects of supplementation during dry Season, on Nelore heifers grazing Guinea grass (Panicum maximum .Jacq.).Treatments were the following:A - pasture + Jaraguá hay (Hyparrhenia rufa Nees) Stapf.) + soybean meal;B €” pasture + corn silage + soybean meal.C - pasture + ground whole ear com + + soybean meal;D €” pasture + soybean meal.E - pasture.Thirty five yearling Nelore heifers were used in the experiment, and was adopted a statistical design of a randomized block. Animals were randomly alloted in each block according to their inicial liveweight. .Jaraguá hay, com silage and ground whole ear corn were used to supplie 40% of the requirements of dry matter for maintenance. Soybean meal was used as crude protein and give in order to complete the maintenance level. During 56 days of severe dry season, the supplements were able to avoid great losses of liveweight in comparison with the treatment E. Considering a 84 days period, including all the supplementation period, treatments A, B and C showed significant liveweight gains grater than treatment E. Treatment D (soybean meal) did not differ from treatment E. Following the raining season, 196 days after the and of supplementation period, all animal showed the same liveweights gains overcoming the influence of pasture supplementation. This fact indicates that pasture supplementation was not profitable regarding to liveweight gains for the experiment.

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Published

2014-01-29

Issue

Section

ANIMAL NUTRITION

How to Cite

Supplementation of grazing zebu heifers, during the dry season, with roughage and concentrate. (2014). Bulletin of Animal Husbandry, 39(1), 11-28. http://bia.iz.sp.gov.br/index.php/bia/article/view/209

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