Performance and carcass quality of feedlot- or pasture-finished Nellore heifers according to feeding managements in the postweaning phase

Abstract

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the postweaning history of heifers kept on marandu grass pastures with three canopy heights, in a continuous-grazing system, during the rainy period, on feedlot-or pasture finishing. The effects of three canopy heights (15, 25 and 35 cm) associated with two supplements (mineral salt and protein-energy supplement) and two finishing systems in the dry period (feedlot and open pasture) were studied in the postweaning period during the rainy season. The adopted design was completely randomized, with seven replications (animals) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The animals which received protein-energy supplement reached the finishing period with greater body weight in relation to those fed mineral salt. In both feedlot and pasture finishing systems, compensatory gain effect was observed in the animals that remained on the low pastures during postweaning compared with the high pastures. This compensatory gain was not verified in the animals that received protein-energy supplement in relation to the mineral salt, and thus the animals were slaughtered beforehand. The heifers on pastures with 25 or 35 cm in height were slaughtered in the same period, and those kept on the low pastures were slaughtered afterwards. The studied factors in the postweaning phase did not affect the carcass characteristics. Animals finished in feedlot slaughtered with the same body weight as those finished on pasture show greater carcass yield, subcutaneous fat deposition and renal pelvic and inguinal fat and greater losses with trimmings for cleaning the main hindquarter meat cuts; however, they provide cuts with the same weight but greater fat cover.

Eggshell as a source of calcium in the production, nutrition and bromatological composition of 'Piatã' and 'Marandu' grasses

“…'Marandu' are also adequate for ruminant feed. As the protein content, the energetic level of the forage must be considered in the evaluation of feeds, because low contents of DE and ME can limit the ingestion and conversion of forage into animal products (Casagrande et al, 2013;Detmann et al, 2014). However, the values described in the present study are not limiting to the feed of ruminant animals (Soest, 1994).…”

“…The contents of macro and micronutrients of Urochloa brizantha cv. 'Piatã' described in the present study are not limiting to animal feed, but the use of supplementation is recommended to improve animal performance (Casagrande et al, 2013;Detmann et al, 2014). The data were subjected to statistical analysis, as described in Experiment I.…”

Carcass traits and meat quality of steers on pasture submitted to different dietary supplementation

“…Consider the slaughter weight fixed in experimental evaluations of beef cattle is relevant because it is the main information used by farms for the marketing of animals with to industry. In commercial farms, cattle lots usually have similar weights but different ages and this occurs due to the different feeding regime during weaning and slaughtering (CASAGRANDE et al, 2013). The age difference, however, has potential effects on meat composition and quality.…”

Influências da condição corporal e atividade ovariana sobre a taxa de prenhez de vacas de corte suplementadas com progesterona de longa ação após a IATF

“…Nesta época os animais tem uma maior disponibilidade de forragens e forragens de melhor qualidade (TEIXEIRA et al, 2011). No período da seca as condições para o crescimento das forragens são limitados, diminuindo a taxa de crescimento e alta taxa de senescência, resultando em uma piora qualitativa e quantitativa da forragem (CASAGRANDE et al, 2013). Em algumas partes do ano a produção de forragens pode não suprir as exigências nutricionais dos animais, podendo estes, entrar em balanço energético negativo.…”

“…No período das águas a produção de forragens é favorecida devido a um conjunto de fatores como: alta temperatura, fotoperíodo prolongado e uma maior incidência de chuvas; sendo assim, nestes período de "águas", os animais tem uma maior disponibilidade de forragens e forragens de melhor qualidade (TEIXEIRA et al, 2011). No período da seca as condições para o crescimento das forragens são limitados, diminuindo a taxa de crescimento e alta taxa de senescência, resultando em um piora qualitativa e quantitativa da forragem (CASAGRANDE et al, 2013).…”