Suchergebnisse

This study was conducted aiming at measuring the performance and behavior of beef cattle surgically castrated, immunocastrated or non-castrated, finished at 18 months old in Aruana pasture and with energy supplementation. Thirty-nine male bovines with an initial average body weight and age of 284.1 ± 31.4 kg and 14 months old, respectively, were used. The bromatological composition analysis and productive parameters of the pasture did not differ between treatments. The performance of young cattle was not changed by the sexual condition. When evaluating the agonistic behavior, the non-castrated bovine presented a higher number of activities, such as threats and fights, in relation to those immunocastrated. The time spent on the feeder by non-castrated young cattle (56.20 minutes) was higher than that observed for surgically castrated or immunocastrated (41.43 and 32.38 minutes, respectively). The combination between the correct management of Aruana pasture and use of supplementation showed to be promising for finishing bovines. Both surgically castrated and immunocastrated steers demonstrated to be equivalents in the performed evaluations. Therefore, if the farmer chooses castration, the use of immunocastration is suggested. This practice is less invasive, preserves animal welfare more than surgical castration, and has a lower cost.

This study aimed to assess the effect of sorghum planting patterns on forage response and performance of beef heifers at finishing phase. The experimental period lasted 84 days; treatments consisted of the combination of two interrow spacings (22 and 44 cm) and two sorghum-sowing rates (12 and 24 kg ha?1). Beef heifers, at finishing phase, with initial age of 15 months (± 2.3 months) and average body weight of 262 kg (± 37.95 kg), continuously grazed forage. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme with three repetitions per area. The different planting patterns did not affect (P > 0.05) dry matter production (5,447.78 kg DM ha?1) and accumulation rate (58.47 kg DM ha?1 day?1). Forage accumulation rate, leaf mass, forage mass, leaf supply and forage supply were influenced (P < 0.05) by time. Similar behavior was observed for stocking rate, weight gain per area unit and daily weight gain, with values of 1,172.32 kg of liveweight ha?1, 312.31 kg ha?1; 0.891 kg day?1, respectively. Animal performance had no effect (P > 0.05) from planting patterns, with nearly 4.04 mm of subcutaneous fat thickness and final weight of 330.36 kg. Animal body development showed no significant differences (P > 0.05), with values for length, heart girth and hip height of 132.01, 163.75 and 126.75 cm, respectively. The weight to average height ratio between planting patterns was 2.67 kg cm?1.

The goal of the present study was to evaluatecharacteristics of the carcass and meat of steers and heifers, finished in feedlots and fed different high-grain diets. Forty-five bovines were used: 21 heifers, with an initial age of 32 months and initial weight of 359.9 kg, and 24 steers, with an initial age of 20 months and initial weight of 337.6 kg, from a Charolais × Nelore crossbreed. The animals were divided among the treatments, which were defined by the energy source used in the diet: rice, white oats, or corn; seven heifers and eight steers were used per diet treatment. The animals remained confined until reaching an estimated warm carcass weight of 220 kg. The experimental design was completely randomized, with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. Weights at slaughter were higher for animals fed white oats (449.3 kg) or corn (430.4 kg) than for animals fed rice (401.8 kg). Higher carcass yields were found in corn-fed animals. Animals that received rice had lower coverfat thickness. The yields of the rib and hind-quarter commercial cuts were higher for cattle that received white oats or corn. Animals that received corn diets had greater arm circumference than animals that received white oatsand both were larger than animals that were fed rice. The tenderness (5.15 points) and palatability (5.46 points) of rice-fed animals werelower than those of animals fed white oats (5.73 and 6.40 points, respectively) or corn (6.04 and 6.45 points, respectively). Slaughter weights were similar between categories - 424.1 kg and 430.2 kg for steers and heifers, respectively. Steers had higher fore-quarter yield (38.0% vs.37.4%), whereas heifers had a greater carcass length (126.0 cm vs. 123.1 cm). The finishing of cattle with corn- or white oat-based high grain-diets yielded heavier carcasses, with adequate deposition of fat, andbetter performance of principal carcass cuts. Feeding with rice in high-grain diets produced leaner meats, but reduced carcass weight, with greater losses upon cooling and less tender meat. The production of confined heifers or steers ensures similar meat products.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of crude protein substitution of soybean meal with urea (slow-release or otherwise) on the carcass and the meat characteristics of finished steers in confinement. Twenty-seven castrated, purebred and Charolais-Nelore crossbred steers with a mean age of 20 ± 1,5 months and initial mean live weight of 293 ± 31 kg, were distributed in three treatments: Protected Urea (concentrate containing slow degradation urea ); Soybean meal (concentrate containing soybean meal) and Urea Common (concentrate containing common urea). A randomized block experimental design (racial predominance) was used, with three treatments and nine replications, with the animal as the experimental unit. Feeding treatments did not influence the hot and cold carcass weight and yield. The fat thickness that covered the carcass was not altered, according to the diets studied, being on average 3.97 ± 0.94 mm. The measurements and the carcass compactness were not altered by the diets, presenting average values of 127.55; 74.86; 39.86; 38.84 and 25.72 cm for carcass length, leg and arm, arm perimeter and cushion thickness, respectively. A significant difference was observed in marbling, and the meat of the animals treated with soybean meal were higher than those treated with protected urea (3.72 vs 2.28 points).

This study aimed to verify the effects of supplying different energy patterns on ingestive behavior of feedlot-finished cattle. Twenty-seven pure and crossbred Charolais or Nellore steers with an initial average age and weight of 22 months and 252.8 kg, respectively, were used. Three treatments were carried out, two of them with an increasing rate of concentrate in the diet during the finishing period (IT5 and IT10) and one with constant roughage to concentrate ratio (CT). The experimental design was a completely randomized design with three treatments, five periods, and nine replications. Feeding time was higher for CT (4.31 hours) when compared to IT5 (3.85 hours). Steers from the treatment IT10 remained longer in lying leisure (8.14 hours) when compared to the treatment CT (7.24 hours). A superiority of chewing per ruminated bolus was observed in IT10 (58.59 seconds) when compared to IT5 (54.11 seconds) whereas a higher number of ruminated bolus was observed in TC5 (534.68 ruminated bolus day?1) when compared to IT10 (473.77 ruminated bolus day?1). Animals from CT presented a higher dry matter intake (9.54 kg day?1) than those from IT10 (8.63 kg day?1). Steers from CT and IT5 showed a higher NDF intake (3.63 and 3.58 kg NDF day?1, respectively) when compared to IT10 (3.29 kg NDF day?1). The constant energy pattern increases feeding time and dry matter intake. The one of less vigorous growth increases the number of bolus ruminated per day, while the one of more vigorous growth increases idle time and chews per bolus and decreases the intake of neutral detergent fiber.

We evaluated the characteristics of the non-carcass components of 24 steers (Charolais × Nelore) fed different carbohydrate sources (ground corn, soybean hulls, or wheat bran) in the diet. The animals were 353.2 kg and 22 months of age at early termination, and had been fed forage consisting of sorghum silage at a forage:concentrate ratio of 40.2:59.8. The carbohydrate sources had no effect on the weights of the carcass, vital organs, and blood. The absolute weights of the intestines and rumen fat were higher (P < 0.05) in animals fed corn than in those fed soybean hulls or wheat bran (10.87 vs. 8.89 and 8.87 kg and 5.26 vs. 4.12 and 3.64 kg, respectively). The same pattern was observed when these organs weights were adjusted for empty body weight. The weight of the omasum was highest (P < 0.05) in the wheat bran-fed animals (6.02 vs. 4.70 and 5.49 kg in the corn- and soybean hull-fed animals, respectively). Animals fed soybean hulls had a higher absolute weight of kidney fat (1.6 kg) than steers receiving wheat bran (1.06 kg) or corn (0.79 kg). Wheat bran gave the highest leg weight compared with corn and soybean hulls (2.46 vs. 2.22 and 2.23 kg per 100 kg of empty body weight, respectively).