Performance of Braford steers grazing on cultivated pastures and fed or not fed an energy supplement

Abstract

-This experiment evaluated the performance of 84 Braford steers grazing on summer and winter cultivated pastures fed or not fed an energy-protein supplement. Steers were 10 months old and weighed, on average, 165 kg at the beginning of the trial. Steers grazed on cultivated winter pasture, consisting of black oats (Avena strigosa) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), and then on cultivated summer pasture, consisting of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum). The following treatments were applied: SS -supplement was fed during both seasons; SN -supplement was fed only during the winter; NS -supplement was fed only during the summer; and NN -steers were not fed any supplement. Supplementation resulted in higher body weight and better body condition score (SS: 369.2 and 4.52; SN: 335.2 and 4.01; NS: 352.5 and 4.49; SS: 322.5 and 3.83). Longissimus dorsi area was larger in supplemented steers, which also presented thicker backfat when compared with those not fed any supplement (3.67 and 2.29 mm, respectively).

Feeding strategies alter gene expression of the calpain system and meat quality in the longissimus muscle of Braford steers

“…plement-finished animals had greater fat depth and fat degree (p = 0.0496 and p = 0.0001, respectively) than pasture-finished animals. These results were in agreement with previous studies, where finishing-feeding effect was evaluated, suggesting that finishing strategies had an effect on carcass conformation and fat grading [15]. Finishing fat is important because it determines when cattle can be marketed.…”

“…In general, higher carcass weight produces higher muscle thickness and fat deposits. Supplemented steers presented approximately 4.45 mm of fat; and pasture finished carcasses presented approximately 3.46 mm of fat, which is the lower limit for marketing carcasses in more demanding markets, for correct carcass chilling, and for adequate meat color [15].…”

“…Although some authors found differences associated with treatments involving different carcass weight and variations in the chilling rate [17], there were no differences (p>0.05) in longissimus L*, a*, or b* values between treatments in the present study. Other researchers did not find significant effects of different forage/concentrate ratio diets during finishing on muscle colour [13][14][15][16][17][18]. Diet characteristics do not have capital relevance on meat colour, probably due to transformation processes that take place in the rumen.…”

Carcass traits and meat quality of Brangus × Zebu steers in grazing systems receiving supplementation

“…Supplementation did not cause any decline in voluntary forage intake (Table 2); possibly there was no substitution effect of forage by supplementation. The degree and magnitude of occurrence of the substitution effect depends on the availability (quantity and quality) of pasture offered (Vaz et al, 2013;McLennan et al, 2017). In the present study, the forage supply was kept regular and constant at 6 % BW in dry green mass d -1 , there was probably little variation in pasture quality over the experimental period (forage consumed by animals averaging 84.9 g kg -1 CP).…”

Produção animal e comportamento ingestivo de bovinos em sistema integrado de produção agropecuária

“…No presente trabalho, a média de ganho de peso diário dos novilhos mestiços inteiros foi de 0,98kg animal dia -1 . Apesar de importante, o GMD não é alterado pelo aporte de N ao pasto de forrageiras hibernais (LUPA-TINI et al, 2013), mas por outros fatores de manejo, como intensidade de pastejo (KUNRATH et al, 2020) ou suplementação (VAZ et al, 2013).…”