PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE NELLORE IMUNOCASTRATED AND SUPPLEMENTED WITH CHELATE CHROMIUM.

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the performance and carcass characteristics of Nelore heifers with mineral supplementation associated with chelated chromium and imunocastrated with BOPRIVA ® vaccine of Pfizer. The work was conducted in Caiabi farm in Alta Floresta - MT, being used 60 heifers at 18 months of age and average live weight of 324kg. The animals were divided into four groups being: Treatment 1 (T1) was used 15 heifers vaccinated with Bopriva. Treatment 2 (T2) 15 heifers control groups. Treatment 3 (T3) 15 heifers supplemented with chelated chromium and treatment 4 (T4) 15 heifers supplemented without chelated chromium. The heifers were kept in continuous grazing for 120 days and weighed every 28 days to daily weight monitoring. The results observed for those animals receiving chromium in the diet was statistically different only carcass conformation, whereas the animals receiving the chelated chromium had a conformation greater than those who received no chromium, 4.11 and 3.44 respectively. As immunocastration, animals that underwent vaccine had lower slaughter weight with 361.50 kg and less weight hot carcass with 180.83 kg, compared with the unvaccinated who had a live weight of 378.06 kg and hot carcass weight 190.71 kg. Chromium interfered in carcass quality while the vaccine was not evaluated for statistical differences production and carcass quality.

Keywords

• cattle
• carcass
• supplementation