Abstract
The objective of this research was to evaluate average daily gain (ADG), carcass traits, meat tenderness and profitability of keeping cattle fed different oilseeds and vitamin E in feedlot. A total of 40 Red Norte young bulls with initial average body weight of 339±15 kg were utilized. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The experiment lasted 84 days and experimental diets presented soybeans or cottonseeds as lipid sources associated or not to daily supplementation of 2,500 UI vitamin E per animal. The concentrate:roughage ratio was 60:40. Diets had the same amount of nitrogen (13% CP) and ether extract (6.5%). The data were analyzed by means of statistical software SAS 9.1. Neither vitamin supplementation nor lipid source affected ADG. There was no interaction between lipid source and vitamin supplementation for the variables studied. The inclusion of cottonseed reduced the carcass yield. There was no effect of diets on hot and cold carcass weights or prime cuts. The inclusion of cottonseed reduced the backfat thickness. No effect of experimental diets on the rib-eye area was observed. There was no effect of lipid source or vitamin supplementation on meat tenderness, which was affected, however, by ageing time. Diets with soybeans presented higher cost per animal. The utilization of soybean implied reduction of the gross margin (R$ 59.17 and R$ 60.51 for diets based on soy with and without supplemental vitamin, respectively, vs. R$ 176.42 and R$ 131.79 for diets based on cottonseed). The utilization of cottonseed enables improvement of profitability of feedlot fattening, in spite of negatively affecting some carcass characteristics.
Highlights
In Brazil, the activity of feedlot rearing has had great importance in intensive beef cattle production systems
In 2009 only, more than 3 million animals were confined in Brazil (Millen et al, 2009). Such number is a result of the increase in the number of feedlot activities and the number of animals housed per feedlot
Oilseeds were ground aiming to increase the net energy for maintenance (NEm) and the net energy for gain (NEg) of diets, as reported by Maddock et al (2006)
Summary
In Brazil, the activity of feedlot rearing has had great importance in intensive beef cattle production systems. In 2009 only, more than 3 million animals were confined in Brazil (Millen et al, 2009) Such number is a result of the increase in the number of feedlot activities and the number of animals housed per feedlot. The utilization of lipid sources such as soybean in the feeding of cattle enables decrease in the starch content of diets, collaborating to improvement in the ruminal environment. The cotton seed, in turn, in addition to having lipid content similar to soybean, presents high content of fiber, which can collaborate to reduction in the incidence of Cranston et al (2006) conducted three experiments utilizing cottonseed in diets for finishing cattle. The results obtained with the utilization of this feedstuff are highly dependent on the inclusion level due to its ether extract content
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