Metabolic evaluation of feed efficiency of finishing Nellore steers

• Grant number: 19/22465-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal researcher: Miguel Henrique de Almeida Santana
• Grantee: Nara Pontes Garcia
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/12105-2 - Fenomics of fetal programming effects on beef cattle production: a systemic approach, AP.JP

Abstract

Feed efficiency has been widely studied in recent decades in beef cattle. However, there are some gaps regarding the metabolic pathways responsible for the difference between the most and least efficient animals. One way of assessing these differences would be by evaluating the bovine metabolome. This undergraduate research project will characterize the metabolism of Nellore cattle in finishing, relating these metabolites with dry matter intake (IMS) and residual feed intake (RFI). This project fits into Study # 4 of the proposed Young Researcher grant. The student will assist in the animal termination phase of this proposal, which opens a range of opportunities for data collection and biological material by the controlled condition of confinement and because of the slaughter that will occur at the end of this phase. (AU)