Abstract
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of multiple supplement with different levels of castor meal (Ricinus communis L.) treated with calcium oxide on intake, on the total apparent digestibility of dietary components, on the efficiency of microbial synthesis and on the performance of beef heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens during the dry-rainy transition period. The experimental area was composed of five 2.5-ha paddocks with availability of potentially digestible dry matter of 2,858.4 kg/ha. It was used 25 Nellore heifers and 10 crossbred with predominance of Zebu breed heifers at 13 months of age and body weight of 210 ± 0.8 kg in a completely randomized experimental design. Supplements contained approximately 25% of crude protein (CP) and they were formulated with 0; 33; 67 and 100% of castor meal replacing soybean meal. Daily weight gain was 366.1 g for animals in the control group and 439.7; 478.9; 556.3; and 493.9, respectively for those fed supplements with 100% of soybean meal and 33, 67 and 100% castor meal. There was no effect of treated castor meal levels on daily weight gain of the animals, which was higher in those animals fed supplements. Levels of castor meal had decreasing linear effect on intakes of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ether extract (EE), digested dry matter and digestible neutral detergent fiver and on the intake of total digestible nutrients. Coefficients of apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE and non-fibrous carbohydrates were greater for animals under supplementation. Microbial efficiency, expressed in g of crude protein per kg of consumed TDN, did not differ among groups. Replacement of soybean meal by castor meal treated with calcium oxide does not harm animal performance.
Highlights
Nowadays, supplementation of bovines in pasture is the alternative that most increases as a strategy for increase in productivity (ANUALPEC, 2007)
The objective of this work was to evaluate the need of supplementation and the nutritional parameters, the efficiency of microbial synthesis and productive performance of Nellore heifers and crossbreed heifers with predominance of Zebu breed under pasture in the dry/rainy transitional season by receiving multiple supplements with partial or total replacing of soybean meal by castor seed meal treated with calcium oxide
Brachiaria decumbens obtained by manual grazing simulation presented average level of crude protein of 8.74% (Table 3), higher than the minimal value of 7–8% of the crude protein in the basal diet reported by Lazzarini et al (2009) as needed to achieve suitable use of the neutral detergent fiber of the low quality basal forage which is the main energy source for animals raised in pasture
Summary
Supplementation of bovines in pasture is the alternative that most increases as a strategy for increase in productivity (more than 2000% from 1991 to 2006) (ANUALPEC, 2007). The use of alternative protein sources that do not implicate on the animal performance is a feasible option to reduce costs with supplementation, making it possible the optimization of animal production. Among many options of available oilseeds, castor culture (Ricinnus communis L.) stands out because of its high exploration potential in marginalized regions of the development process and by the high potential productivity of the oil. Oliveira et al (2010) showed that it is possible to make efficient deintoxication of castor seed meal by calcium oxide, obtaining a safe product for animal feeding
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