Supplementation of growing beef cattle and buffaloes grazing Xaraés palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés) during rainy season

• Grant number: 14/06446-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Andre Mendes Jorge
• Grantee: Daiane Cristina Marques da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This study will be conducted to evaluate the performance, carcass traits and production cost of growing beef cattle and buffaloes receiving or not supplementation on pasture. Forty animals (n = 20 beef cattle; n = 20 buffaloes; 190.22 kg initial body weight; 10 month of age) will be used. Animals will be divided in two treatment groups (n = 10 animals of each genetic group for each treatment) in a growing phase on pasture (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés) receiving or not supplementation (0.6% of the animal body weight; corn, urea and mineral salt). Weight measurements, hip height, body condition score will be performed at the beginning of the experiment and every 28 days. Ultrasound evaluation (ribeye area; backfat thickness - 12th rib; rump fat thickness) will be carried out. Blood samples will be collected for evaluation of metabolic parameters such as insulin and glucose at the beginning, middle and end of the experiment. Pastures will be grazed at 4 days of occupation and 28 days of interval of defoliation in rotational stocking systems. Forage samples will be collected before entry and after output of animals from pasture to calculate the forage allowance. Production profitability (cost) will be calculated from the input prices and product returns (body weight gain). Data will be analyzed with MIXED procedures of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA), submitted to analysis of variance and comparison of means by Tukey test. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SILVA, Daiane Cristina Marques da. Supplementation of growing beef cattle and buffaloes grazing xaraés-pasture (Urochloa brizantha Syn. Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés) during rainy season. 2015. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Botucatu Botucatu.