Performance, Carcass Traits, and Meat Fatty Acid Profile of Post-Weaning and Finishing Zebu Steers on Tropical Pasture with Three Low-Intake Supplementation Strategies
Diana Carolina Cediel-Devia,
Luís Henrique Schaitz,
Fabiano Ferreira da Silva,
Laize Vieira Santos,
Ana Paula Gomes da Silva,
Marceliana da Conceição Santos,
Wbeimar Yamit Sanchez Dueñez,
Osman Ronaldo Aguilar Melgar,
Tarcísio Ribeiro Paixão,
João Wilian Dias Silva,
Thiago Luís Alves Campos de Araújo,
Dorgival Morais de Lima Júnior,
Robério Rodrigues Silva
Affiliations
Diana Carolina Cediel-Devia
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Luís Henrique Schaitz
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Fabiano Ferreira da Silva
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Laize Vieira Santos
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Ana Paula Gomes da Silva
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Marceliana da Conceição Santos
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Wbeimar Yamit Sanchez Dueñez
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Osman Ronaldo Aguilar Melgar
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Tarcísio Ribeiro Paixão
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
João Wilian Dias Silva
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
Thiago Luís Alves Campos de Araújo
Department of Animal Science, Federal University of the Semi-Arid Region, Francisco Mota Street, Costa e Silva, Mossoró 59625-900, RN, Brazil
Dorgival Morais de Lima Júnior
Department of Animal Science, Federal University of the Semi-Arid Region, Francisco Mota Street, Costa e Silva, Mossoró 59625-900, RN, Brazil
Robério Rodrigues Silva
Department of Rural and Animal Technology, Southwest Bahia State University, Primavera Square, Itapetinga 45700-000, BA, Brazil
The study aimed to evaluate the effects of three supplementation strategies on intake, apparent digestibility, feeding behavior, performance, carcass traits, proximate composition, and the fatty acid profile of meat from steers on tropical pasture during the post-weaning and finishing stages. The experiment involved 33 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 castrated Zebu steers weighing 335 ± 42.90 kg, aged 22 ± 2 m. The animals were managed on Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu using an intermittent grazing system with continuous stocking and variable stocking rates for 310 days. The supplementation strategies were as follows: MS/US (mineral salt/urea supplementation): mineral salt in the rainy season and mineral salt with urea in the dry season; US/PS1 (urea supplementation/protein supplementation): mineral salt with urea in the rainy season and protein supplement at 1 g/kg body weight (BW) in the dry season; and PS1/PS2 (protein supplementation 1/protein supplementation 2): protein supplement at 1 g/kg BW in the rainy season and 2 g/kg BW in the dry season. The dry matter intake did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between strategies. However, the post-weaning PS1/PS2 strategy resulted in higher (p p > 0.05) between the strategies, but the average daily gain in post-weaning and finishing was higher (p p p < 0.05). Concentrate supplementation at 1 g/kg BW during the rainy season and 2 g/kg BW during the dry season is recommended for post-weaning and finishing steers on tropical pasture.
