Forty singletons crossbred Texel lambs were assigned to four treatments to compare their performance in either feedlot or at pasture, with or without supplementation. In the first treatment (“Min”), the lambs received a mineral supplementation and stayed with their mothers up to 105 days old in a paddock of Panicum maximum cv. Colonião but only the lambs had access to the supplement. The second treatment (“Prot”) differed from the fist one only in that the lambs were supplemented with protein […]

The objective of this trial was to study the performance of ewes and lambs as well as the characteristics of carcass of lambs in different feeding systems. Eighteen lambs, 24 hours after birth, were randomly assigned with their mothers to one of the following treatments: RP – ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) pasture; FNCP – feedlot with no creep feeding; and FCP – feedlot with creep feeding. The ryegrass pasture was managed in order to not limit the dry matter intake of […]

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the performance of males of two categories, steers and young steers, from two genetic groups, 5/8Charolais (CH) 3/8Nelore (NE) and 5/8NE 3/8CH. The average age of the animals at the beginning of the experimental period was 22.8 months for steers and 15.2 months for young steers. The animals were feedlot finished to reach slaughter weight of 430 kg, previously established. The performance characteristics evaluated between categories were compared in two manners: (=FW): […]

The effect of different energy sources in multiple supplements of self-feed on the average daily gain (ADG), total weight gain (TWG), pH and ruminal ammonia concentration of steers grazed at pasture in the wet season was evaluated. Treatments were supplements containing ground corn grain (GCG), corn, ears and cob (CEC), ground sorghum (GS) and control treatment (mineral mix – MM). Sixteen crossbreed steers with initial age and weight of 12 months old and 265 kg were used. Ruminal parameters were […]

Twelve non pregnant dry cows (640 kg LW) were assigned to a randomized block design, provided that the treatments were alfalfa haylage (60.0% DM and 19.5% CP) control or inoculated with Silobac® product (Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus), with the objective to evaluate the effects of microbial inoculation of alfalfa silage on ruminal and total digestibility in bovines. Experimental diet was composing by 50% of alfalfa silage and 50% of concentrate as dry matter basis. The experimental period had duration […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the carcass physical composition and meat quality of steers, straightbreds (Charolais – C and Nellore – N), and crossbreds from second (G2) (¾C ¼N and ¾N ¼C), third (G3) (5/8C 3/8N and 5/8N 3/8C) and fourth (G4) (11/16C 5/16N and 11/16N 5/16C) generation of rotational crossbreeding, feedlot finished with 52% corn silage plus 48% of concentrate in the diet. Crossbred steers were superior to the straightbreds mean for absolute weight of muscle, […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the carcass characteristics of feedlot finished steers, straightbreds (Charolais – C and Nellore – N), and crossbreds from second (G2) (¾C ¼N and ¾N ¼C), third (G3) (5/8C 3/8N and 5/8N 3/8C) and fourth (G4) (11/16C 5/16N and 11/16N 5/16C) generations of rotational crossbreeding. Crossbreds showed higher slaughter, hot and cold carcass weights than the average of the purebreds, being the total heterosis, respectively, 14.95; 18.72 and 18.39% in G2, 19.98; 24.16 […]

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the carcass characteristics of crossbred cull cows, from the second (G2- 3/4Charolais (C) Nellore (N) and 3/4NC) and third (G3-5/8CN and 5/8NC) generations of Charolais – Nellore rotational crossbreeding, feedlot finished and slaughtered with 465, 507 and 566 kg. At the beginning of the experiment the average age, weight and body condition were, respectively, 8.5 years, 388.6 kg and 2.35 points. The diet, with 48:52 roughage:concentrate ratio, contained 12.5% crude protein and […]

The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of the recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on the percentage distribution and diameter of semitendinosus muscle fibers. Thirty-six ½ Angus-Nellore crossbred bull calves, 63 ± 17 days old and weighting 76.8 ± 14.7 kg, raised in Brachiaria decumbens pastures and creep fed, were assigned to one of two treatments until weaning (217 days): eighteen calves received 1.4 mg/kg of rbST (Boostin®) every 14 days and eighteen control calves received saline solution. […]

Forty-two Holstein cows, pregnants and multiparous, wereassigned randomly to two groups to determine the possible alterations of IGF-I concentration in colostro and mammary secretions by changes in pre-partum blood serum IGF-I concentration, and also to compare its temporal changes with the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) in pre-partum period. The treated group (n=21) received 500 mg of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST), and the control group (n=21) vitamin E injections. The treatments had been initiated 35 days pre-partum and repeated each 14 […]