Two experiments were carried out with the objective of evaluating the effects of the frequency of supplementation with two proteins sources on productive and economical performance (experiment 1) and the nutrients digestibility of steers in supplemented pasture during the dry season over a year. It was used twenty weaned zebu calves at the age of 10 months and initial live weight (LW) of 208.43 kg, distributed in four paddocks of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, each one with 1.6 ha. Both […]

The carcass and meat characteristics were assessed of Devon steers finished in feedlot (CONF), temperate pasture ( ryegrass pasture – Lolium multiflorum Lam -PTEM), or tropical pasture (association of millet pasture – Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke and Alexander grass – Brachiaria plantaginea –PTRO). At the beginning of finishing the average weight of the steers was 320 kg and the age was 15 months. The animals in feedlot were fed feeds with 60:40 roughage:concentrate and slaughtered with similar weights of 388.3; […]

The objective of this study was to determine the protein requirements of Zebu sterrs grazing grazing five Bracharia decumbens paddocks. Twenty-seven steers averaging initial body weight (BW) of 311.0 kg and 14 months old were used. Three animals were slaughtered after the adaptation peiod to serve as reference for the estimate of empty body weight (EBW), and the initial body composition of the animals kept in the experiment. Among the 24 remaining animals, four were placed in the maintenance group, […]

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the use of supplementation in pasture cultivated with Avena strigosa (black oats), Lolium multiflorum (ryegrass) and Vicia sativa L. (common vetch) on the composition and somatic cells count (SCC) of Jersey cow milk. Eight cows of the Jersey breed were separated by milk production, lactation period and live weight and were randomly blocked into two homogeneous groups (one with supplementation and other only on pasture), in a randomized complete design. […]

The grazing management system based on the intensive pasture utilization result in a high animal and area yield. In order to that to be possible, it should be used a management criteria aiming to control, simultaneously the quality and the amount of forage, maintaining the sustainability of the system. The grazing intensity is dynamic, it never keeps the same status, it can be changed with the animals rate intake, and also by the plants growth, changing every hour and day, […]

The effects of four levels of concentrate – LC (0, 1, 3 and 5 kg/cow/day) and two of crude protein – CP (11 and 13% crude protein in total dry matter) on the intake, digestibility and performance of milking cows were evaluated. Eight crossbred Holstein-Zebu cows with 520 ± 40 kg were distributed in an 8 × 8 Latin square in eight 10-day periods for evaluation of effects of treatment, animal and period. The experiment was conducted on elephant grass […]

In the early 1970’s research was initiated by the cooperative USDA-ARS and University of Nebraska grass breeding program to develop perennial grasses adapted to the mid-continental USA with improved forage quality. The initial breeding and animal evaluation work focused on switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) but has since expanded to several other warm-and cool-season perennial grasses. The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) test was selected as the measure of forage quality that was used in the breeding work because of its […]

The performance, intake and digestibility were evaluated in Nellore beef calves supplemented with different energy sources in Brachiaria decumbens pasture were evaluated. The area was divided into five 6.8 ha paddocks with an availability of dry matter and potentially digestible dry matter of 4.10 and 2.38 t/ha, respectively. Forty-five animals with 96.0 ± 11.0 kg initial weight and 101 ± 12 days of age were allotted to a completely randomized experimental design, as a 5 × 2 factorial (five supplements […]

This experiment was carried out with the objective of determining the macrominerals (Ca, P, Mg, K and Na) requirements of Nellore steers under grazing. Twenty four Nellore steers (371 ± 14 kg of BW and 26 mo old) were used. Four steers were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment (reference group), serving as a reference in subsequent study. The remaining 20 animals were weighed and distributed into a completely randomized design with four supplementation levels offer: 0.0 (mineral mixture […]

A trial involving 27 zebu bulls at pasture with initial live weight (LW) of 311.0 kg were conducted with the objective of determining their energy requirements. Three animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the trial, performing the reference group; four had restricted grazing time to limit the energy intake to a level close to the maintenance level. The remaining were uniformly allotted to a complete randomized design, into four treatments: mineral mix, self-feeding protein and protein suplementation three times […]