Adaptation of Nellore cattle to high-concentrate diets: performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics and rumen health

• Grant number: 10/01103-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2010
• End date: April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Mário de Beni Arrigoni
• Grantee: Mário de Beni Arrigoni
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cyntia Ludovico Martins

Abstract

The objective of this study will be to evaluate the length of protocols to adapt Nellore cattle to high concentrate diets on feedlot performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, rumenites and liver abscesses incidences, and rumen morphology of papillae. One-hundred twenty Nellore bullocks (380 kg) backgrounded on pasture will be randomly disposed in 24 pens (5 animals/pen) according to the 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments: T1) step up program during 14 days; T2) step up program during 21 days; T3) Restriction program during 14 days; T4) Restriction program during 21 days. Cattle will be fed twice daily (8h and 15h). After the period of adaptation, animals will be fed an unique diet containing 85% concentrate until reaching 490 kg of body weight and a minimum of 4 mm of back-fat thickness. The variables evaluated will be as follows: feedlot performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, rumenites and liver abscesses incidences, and rumen morphology. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PARRA, F. S.; RONCHESEL, J. R.; MARTINS, C. L.; PERDIGAO, A.; PEREIRA, M. C. S.; MILLEN, D. D.; ARRIGONI, M. D. B.. Nellore bulls in Brazilian feedlots can be safely adapted to high-concentrate diets using 14-day restriction and step-up protocols. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE, v. 59, n. 10, p. 1858-1867, 2019. (10/01103-0)