Effect of supplementation during breeding on the performance of heifers mated at 13/15 months of age
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2025v46n1p55Keywords:
Average daily gain, Body weight, Conception, Crude glycerine, Feeding systems, Pregnancy rate.Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of beef heifers at 13/15 months of age from weaning to the end of the reproductive season, submitted to three feeding systems during the winter months following weaning: a pasture of black oats (Avena strigosa Schreb.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) (RYE), a pasture of black oats and ryegrass supplemented with wheat bran (WB) at 1% of body weight, and a pasture of black oats and ryegrass with wheat bran (WB) at 1% of body weight and 200 ml/head/day crude glycerine (WBG). Supplementation had no effect on the pregnancy rate of pubescent heifers prior to the reproductive season, but resulted in more pubescent heifers and higher rates of conception during the first 21 days after mating. Pregnant heifers, regardless of treatment, show better phenotypic characteristics for conformation, precocity, musculature and size at weaning, a higher average daily gain and body condition score at the start and end of the feeding systems, and at the start of the reproductive season, which allows younger heifers to be placed in gestation feeding systems at 13/15 months of age. Herds where pregnancy has stabilised at two years of age require selection for greater sexual precocity and pregnancy at 13/15 months of age, for which weaning weight is a good predictor.
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Copyright (c) 2024 José Fernando Piva Lobato, Marcos Bernardino Alves, Lidiane Raquel Eloy, Luciana Pötter, Bruna Fernandes Machado, Sheila Cristina Bosco Stivanim, Viviane da Silva Hampel, Maria Eduarda Cocco Dallanóra, Ricardo Zambarda Vaz
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