Body development of dairy heifers supplemented with inorganic minerals and organic grazing during the rainy season

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with sources of inorganic minerals and organic, in the rainy season of the year on the performance of dairy crossbred Gir x Holstein, with a mean age of 13.6 ± 2.9 months and body weight averaging 176.8 ± 10.1kg were assigned at random block design, the module (two module/treatment) is considered as the grazing treatment (inorganic minerals and organic sources) and animals such as repetition (16 animals / treatment) in pasture Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex. A. Rich.) Stapf. cv. Marandu, managed under rotational grazing system. At the end of each grazing cycle (42 days) the animals were weighed and measured for height at withers and girth and the body weight average batch was used for calculation of load adjustment. With respect to the forage available did not differ between treatments, but on the cycles. The average forage available for the cycles was 12kg dry matter/100kg body weight with stocking rate of 4.19UA/ha. There were no effects of inorganic minerals and organic sources on the average daily gain of body weight and measurements in the height at withers and the girth. The correct management of grazing in the rainy season and the appropriate mineral supplementation provided an excellent performance of dairy heifers with average gains of 0.680 kg/day. The performance of dairy heifers rearing pasture was similar when supplemented with organic or inorganic mineral sources.