Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with different crude protein contents on the productive performance of grazing beef cows during post-calving. Thirty-six beef cows, with age and average body weight of 5 years and 490±17.9 kg, respectively, were used. The experimental design was completely randomized. The treatments were: control = cows received only mineral mixture ad libitum; supplemented = cows received 1 kg d-1 of supplement containing 80, 200, or 320 g crude protein (CP) kg-1. There was no effect (P ? 0.16) of supplementation on voluntary intake. A linear effect (P < 0.02) of the CP content in the supplements was observed among supplemented cows, only for the CP intake. Supplementation did not affect (P ? 0.20) the total digestibility of organic matter, neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein, and CP. Among supplemented cows, a positive linear effect (P < 0.01) of the CP content in the supplement was observed for the CP digestibility. Intestinal flow of microbial nitrogen compounds and efficiency of synthesis microbial were not affected (P ? 0.18) by treatments. Performance, milk yield and composition were not also affected (P ? 0.11) by treatments. Supplementation did not affect (P ? 0.52) non-esterified fatty acids, urea nitrogen and progesterone serum concentrations. It is concluded that supplementation of grazing beef cows during post-calving does not affect nutritional and productive performance.
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