Suplementation for steers on pasture during the transition phase between the rainy and the dry periods

Abstract

Supplements with different protein sources were evaluated during the transition phase between the rainy and the dry seasons. The supplements were supplied in base of 0.4 % LW (1.0kg per day). The following treatments were used: soybean meal and wheat meal, wheat meal and urea, cottonseed meal 38% of CP, cottonseed meal 38%, soybean meal and urea and control. The nutritional parameters were evaluated in five steers with initial average weight and age of 249Kg and 17 months respectively, fistulated in the esophagus and in the rumen, distributed in five paddocks of 0.3 hectares. The statistical design was incomplete 5X5 Latin Square. The supplementation in general provided increase in the DM intake in kg/day or in relation to LW not affecting the intake of pasture DM or of NDF. The digestibility of the DM found in the soybean meal and wheat was superior to cottonseed meal with 38% of CP and control. The average for pH was 6.42. The ruminal concentration of N-NH3 was higher for treatments whit wheat bran and urea, wheat and soybean meal, cottonseed meal, wheat and urea in relation to treatment with cottonseed meal (38% CP). The found values for TDNobs were higher than TDNest for all treatments including control.