Performance and carcass characteristics of beef cattle fed with ammoniated marandugrass hay

Marcella De Toledo Piza Roth,Marcelo Henrique De Faria,Gustavo Rezende Siqueira,Telma Teresinha Berchielli,Flávio Dutra De Resende,Ricardo Andrade Reis

doi:10.1590/s1516-35982009000900030

Marcella De Toledo Piza Roth, Marcelo Henrique De Faria + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-35982009000900030

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Abstract

This trial was conducted aiming to evaluate the effects of Brachiaria brizantha vegetative seed harvest residues hay treated with anhydrous ammonia (NH3) or urea, and protein sources on the steers performance, and carcass quality. Twenty-four male beef cattle were (12 F1 Nellore X Aberdeen Angus and 12 F1 Nellore X Red Angus), distributed in four treatments, with six replications. Animal crossbreed type and initial body weight were considered blocks. The diets were: Untreated hay supplemented with non-protein nitrogen (UHNPN); untreated hay supplemented with cottonseed meal (UHCM), hay treated with 5% urea (HTU), hay treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia (HTA) of DM%. Diets were formulated to be isoproteic and isoenergetic. The initial body weight (kg), daily DM intake (kg), and percentage of body weight (% BW) did not differ among treatments, and the average values observed were 422.6 kg, 10.24 kg, and 2.16% BW, respectively. Animals fed with HTA showed better daily weight gain, feed efficiency, 1.336 kg/day, and 7.78 kg/kg of weight gain, followed by the UHCM, 1.161 kg/day, and 8.98 kg/kg, respectively. Animals of the HTA showed highest NDF, ADF and cellulose intake. Carcass fat thickness was highest on the HTA animals, 6.3 mm.

Highlights

Using crop residues in animal feed can be interesting when it results in low costs for the process, providing it maintains the animal production index and satisfactory animal performance.According to Reis et al (2002), the vegetative portion of the plant that remain from the harvest of seed forage grass by the sweeping method may be used as a forage source of low nutritive value
The diets were: Untreated hay supplemented with non-protein nitrogen (UHNPN); untreated hay supplemented with cottonseed meal (UHCM), hay treated with 5% urea (HTU), hay treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia (HTA) of dry matter content (DM)%
The diets were: untreated hay supplemented with non-protein nitrogen (UHNPN); untreated hay supplemented with cottonseed meal (UHCM); hay treated with 5% urea (HTU) and hay treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia (% DM) (HTA)

Summary

Introduction

According to Reis et al (2002), the vegetative portion of the plant that remain from the harvest of seed forage grass by the sweeping method may be used as a forage source of low nutritive value. Chemical treatment on this forage may increase its utilization efficiency, because it equals its nutritive value to that of other preserved forages. Among the most used chemical products are urea and anhydrous ammonia. Urea is the cheapest and easiest to be applied, but Reis et al (2001) and Fernandes et al (2002) reported its lower efficiency in increasing the in vitro dry matter disappearance values (DM). Marandu seed post harvest residue were efficient in improving this hay’s nutritive value

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