<b>Feedlot performance of bulls and steers fed on three levels of concentrate in the diets

Abstract

Current study evaluated the effect of different sexual groups and different concentrate levels in diets on animal performance, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of bovines finished in feedlot. Ninety four bulls and 75 steers Purunã with average age 19 months at the beginning of the feedlot period were used. Animals were maintained in individual pens during 116 days and fed with a diet of corn silage and three concentrate levels (0.8, 1.1, and 1.4% of body weight). The concentrate was formulated with 25% soybean meal, 73% corn grain, 1.0% of a mineral mix and 1.0% limestone and adjusted at every 28 days. The interaction between sexual groups and concentrate levels was not significant for any of the studied variables. Bulls were more efficient than steers ones, with higher average daily gain (1.33 vs. 1.12 kg day-1), better feed conversion ratio (6.6 vs. 7.6 kg DM intake kg-1 gain), and higher carcass gain (86.6 vs. 69.2 kg). Increase in concentrate level in diet did not influence animal performance even though a higher DM was observed for animals fed on 1.4% (8.8 kg) and 1.1% (8.4 kg) levels of concentrate when compared with those fed on 0.8% level (7.7 kg).

Keywords

• efficiency
• feed intake
• sexual group
• weight gain