Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand
Related content
(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Effect of supplementation frequency on intake, behavior and performance in beef steers grazing Marandu grass

Full text
Author(s):
Morais, J. A. S. [1] ; Queiroz, M. F. S. [1] ; Keli, A. [2] ; Vega, A. [2] ; Fiorentini, G. [1] ; Canesin, R. C. [1] ; Reis, R. A. [1, 3] ; Berchielli, T. T. [1, 3]
Total Authors: 8
Affiliation:
[1] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Dept Anim Sci, BR-14884900 Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Fac Vet, Dept Prod Anim & Ciencia Alimentos, Zaragoza 50013 - Spain
[3] INCT CA UFV Dept Anim Sci, BR-36570000 Vicosa, MG - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: ANIMAL FEED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; v. 189, p. 63-71, MAR 2014.
Web of Science Citations: 11
Abstract

Eighteen Nellore steers, with an average initial body weight (BW) of 312 +/- 10.6 kg, grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu were assigned to three experimental treatments consisting of different supplementation frequencies (daily {[}DAI], Monday through Friday {[}M-F] and Monday, Wednesday and Friday {[}MWF]). The supplement was offered at a rate of 35.0 g kg(-1) BW per week and contained 565 g kg(-1) corn gluten meal-60, 235 g kg(-1) dry sugarcane yeast, 140 g kg(-1) citric pulp and 60 g kg(-1) mineral premix. Animal performance (ADG), dry matter (DM) intake, DM digestibility, daily grazing time and pattern of supplement intake were evaluated in the steers from February to May. The forage DM intake was estimated using the alkane pair C-32:C-33 and the DM apparent digestibility using the alkane C-35 as an internal marker. A reduction in supplementation frequency did not affect animal performance, with an average weight gain of 0.69 kg/d. Supplementation frequency did not affect (P>0.05) forage and total (forage + supplement) DM intakes or DM digestibility. However, forage and total DM intakes and DM apparent digestibility decreased significantly (P<0.01) from March to May, whereas grazing time during the day (from 06:00 h to 18:00 h) increased by 22% in the same period. The animals receiving infrequent supplementation (M-F and MWF) spent a greater portion of the day grazing when not given the supplement compared to days on which they received the supplement. Reducing the frequency of supplementation from 7 to 3d per week is a viable method to reduce labor and equipment utilization costs as this reduction did not affect intake, digestibility or animal performance in the present study. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)