Effect of supplementation level on performance of growing Nellore and its influence on pasture characteristics in different seasons

Marcella Toledo Piza Roth,Rodolfo Maciel Fernandes,Letícia Custódio,Matheus Henrique Moretti,Ivanna Moraes Oliveira,Laura Franco Prados,Gustavo Rezende Siqueira,Flávio Dutra De Resende

doi:10.1080/1828051x.2018.1504633

Abstract

Eighty-four Nellore bulls (269 ± 27 kg; 13 months) were used in a completely randomized design to evaluate different supplementation strategies on the performance of growing Nellore cattle grazing Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania in the rainy season and rainy-to-dry season transition. In the rainy season, 42 animals received mineral salt (MS) ad libitum and 42 received protein supplement (PR) at 1 g kg−1 body weight (BW). In the rainy-to-dry season transition, 28 animals received MS, 28 received PR at 1 g kg−1 BW, and 28 received a protein-energy (PE) supplement at 3 g kg−1 BW. In the rainy season, the PR supplement increased average daily gain (ADG), providing a significant increase of 17 kg in final BW. In the first period of the rainy-to-dry season transition, PE promoted better performance than MS, while PR did not differ from the two other treatments. In the second period of the rainy-to-dry season transition, PE and PR increased ADG by 41% and 31%, respectively, compared with MS. In the third period, all supplements differed from each other. Bulls fed PE had greater final BW compared with animals fed PR and MS. In conclusion, during the rainy season, PR supplementation should be provided even under good pasture conditions. Also, during the rainy-to-dry season transition, protein-energy supplementation is recommended to compensate for quantitative and qualitative deficiencies of the pasture.HighlightsNellore cattle being backgrounded on pasture with supplementation has greater body weight in the feedlot entry.Supplementation is recommended to compensate for quantitative and qualitative deficiencies of the pasture.Supplementation promotes a positive response in animal performance.

Highlights

Brazil is the world’s second largest beef producer using systems that are predominantly pasture-based (Silva et al 2017), characterized by low production costs (Sampaio et al 2010)
During the rainy season and rainy-to-dry season transition, there were no differences in quantitative or qualitative pasture characteristics pre-grazing among supplements (p ! .100)
No differences in quantitative or qualitative forage characteristics were observed among supplements during the rainy season or rainyto-dry season transition (p ! .067) (Table 2, 3, 5, 6) post-grazing, except for green leaf mass in the rainy season (p 1⁄4 .045)

Summary

Introduction

Brazil is the world’s second largest beef producer using systems that are predominantly pasture-based (Silva et al 2017), characterized by low production costs (Sampaio et al 2010). Cattle raised under tropical conditions traditionally have an extended growth phase, which increases their slaughter age. This situation can only be changed by increasing the growth rate of animals. Under tropical conditions, this can be achieved by supplementing the deficient pasture nutrients (Moretti et al 2013) such as protein and minerals. This can be achieved by supplementing the deficient pasture nutrients (Moretti et al 2013) such as protein and minerals In this regard, cattle productivity can be improved by the adoption of supplementation.

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