Quantities of supplements for grazing beef heifers in the dry-rainy transition season

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplying different quantities of multiple supplements on the nutritional characteristics and productive performance of heifers during the postweaning phase on Urochloa decumbens pastures during the dry-rainy transition season. Twentyfour heifers (average initial age and weight of 11 mo and 243±6 kg, respectively) were used. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments and six replicates. A supplement containing 25% CP was used, and treatments consisted of the following four levels of supplements: 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg. The animals in the different treatments received a mineral mixture ad libitum. A positive linear effect (P<0.10) was observed on ADG and final body weight with the quantities of supplements. An increasing linear effect (P<0.10) was found on the intakes of DM, OM, CP, EE, NFC and TDN with the elevation in the amount of the supplement provided, which was not observed for NDFap intake. A cubic effect was observed (P<0.10) on the apparent digestibility of OM, CP, NDFap, NFC and concentration of TDN among the quantities of multiple supplements. Supplement levels increased (P<0.10) the digestibility coefficient of EE. An increasing linear response was detected (P<0.10) in urine urea nitrogen excretion, serum urea nitrogen (SUN) and flow of microbial nitrogen (MICN) compounds with the quantities of supplement. No difference was observed (P<0.10) in the efficiency of microbial synthesis between the supplementation levels. The quantities of supplement had a decreasing linear effect (P<0.10) on the relative MICN. In conclusion, supplying higher amounts of multiple supplements during the dry-rainy transition season improves the productive performance and nutritional characteristics of beef heifers reared on pasture.