Supplementation strategies for grazing beef cattle during the rainy-dry transition period
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2017v38n2p895Keywords:
Digestibility, Infrequent supplementation, Intake, Performance, Self-feed supplementation.Abstract
An experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of supplementation strategies on intake, digestibility, and performance of Nellore cattle on pasture (Urochloa decumbens) during the rainy-dry transition period. The evaluated strategies were mineral supplementation (MS), self-feed supplementation (SF), and infrequent concentrate supplementation. Supplementation frequencies were three times per week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays - 3tw) and daily (7tw). Animals receiving concentrate supplementation had higher pasture DM and TDN intakes than those fed MS. There was no difference (P > 0.10) between concentrate supplementation strategies. Average pasture DM intake was 7.89, 8.09, and 8.10 kg day?1 for SF, 3tw, and 7tw, respectively. No effects were found (P > 0.10) between SF and infrequent supplementation, or for the supplementation frequencies tested. The lowest average daily gain (ADG) (P < 0.10) was found for animals fed MS, and there was no difference between concentrate supplementation strategies for this variable. Average daily gains for MS, SC, 3tw, and 7tw were 661.4, 812.7, 811.5 and 819.2 g/animal, respectively. During the rainy-dry transition period, grazing beef cattle receiving concentrate supplementation have higher pasture and TDN intakes and better performance than animals fed mineral supplement only. Self-feed supplementation or supplementation provided three days per week do not compromise pasture and TDN intakes, nutrient digestibility, or performance of grazing beef cattle.Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2017 Semina: Ciências Agrárias
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Semina: Ciências Agrárias adopts the CC-BY-NC license for its publications, the copyright being held by the author, in cases of republication we recommend that authors indicate first publication in this journal.
This license allows you to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, remix, transform and develop the material, as long as it is not for commercial purposes. And due credit must be given to the creator.
The opinions expressed by the authors of the articles are their sole responsibility.
The magazine reserves the right to make normative, orthographic and grammatical changes to the originals in order to maintain the cultured standard of the language and the credibility of the vehicle. However, it will respect the writing style of the authors. Changes, corrections or suggestions of a conceptual nature will be sent to the authors when necessary.