Animal Bioscience (Dec 2023)

Does vitamin blends supplementation affect the animal performance, carcass traits, and nutrient digestibility of young Nellore finishing bulls?

  • Dhones Rodrigues de Andrade,
  • Flávia Adriane de Sales Silva,
  • Jardeson de Souza Pinheiro,
  • Júlia Travassos da Silva,
  • Nathália Veloso Trópia,
  • Leticia Artuzo Godoi,
  • Rizielly Saraiva Reis Vilela,
  • Fernando Alerrandro Andrade Cidrini,
  • Luciana Navajas Rennó,
  • Diego Zanetti,
  • Tiago Sabella Acedo,
  • Sebastião de Campos Valadares Filho

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.23.0087
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 36, no. 12
pp. 1831 – 1841

Abstract

Read online

Objective This study was realized to evaluate the effects of supplementation with blends of water and fat-soluble vitamins on animal performance and carcass traits of young Nellore bulls. Methods Forty-three Nellore bulls, with an initial weight of 261±27.3 kg and a mean age of 8±1.0 months, were used. Five animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment (reference group), to determine the initial empty body weight of the bulls that remained in the experiment. The remaining 38 bulls were fed ad libitum and distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2×2 factorial scheme, with or without supplementation of water-soluble (B-blend+ or B-blend−) and fat-soluble (ADE+ or ADE−) vitamin blends. Diets were isonitrogenous (120 g of crude protein/kg dry matter [DM] of total mixed ration) and consisted of a roughage:concentrate rate of 30:70 based on total DM of diet. The experiment lasted 170 days, with 30 days of adaptation and 140 days for data collection. At the beginning and end of the experimental period, the bulls were weighed to determine the average daily gain. To estimate the apparent digestibility of nutrients and microbial efficiency, spot collections of feces and urine were performed for five consecutive days. Results DM, ashes, organic matter, crude protein, ethereal extract, neutral detergent fiber corrected for residual ash and residual nitrogenous, and N intake and apparent digestibility were not influenced by vitamin supplementation, but total digestible nutrients intake and non-fibrous carbohydrates digestibility were influenced by B complex vitamin supplementation. Nitrogen balance, microbial efficiency, and performance data were not influenced (p>0.05) by vitamin supplementation. Conclusion Vitamin supplementation (a blend of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins or their combinations) does not influence the animal performance and carcass traits of young Nellore bulls.

Keywords