Performance of beef heifers supplemented with sodi

Authors: Everton Dezordi Sartori Leonardo Canali Canellas Gabriel Ribas Pereira Fernanda Gomes Moojen Helena Robatini Carvalho Júlio Otávio Jardim Barcellos

Publish Date: 2016/12/12

Volume: 49, Issue: 2, Pages: 273-279

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Abstract

This study was conducted on 78 13monthold crossbred beef heifers that weighed 215 kg in Southern Rio Grande do Sul RS State Brazil We evaluated the performance of beef heifers that were reared in a pasture system that received a mineral supplement energytype protein with added sodium lasalocid LAS The heifers were randomly and uniformly divided into 2 groups with 39 animals in each group One group of animals received a mineral supplement energytype protein without sodium lasalocid CON and the other group received a mineral supplement energytype protein with added LAS The mean feed intake the body weight BW the average daily gain ADG the body condition score BCS and ovarian cyclicity were recorded and economic parameters were calculated No differences in supplement intake were observed between the groups which ensures adequate intake of the other components of the mineral mixture which are part of the nutritional requirements for the production process Similarly no difference in the ADG was observed between treatments We observed that the heifers in the LAS group had a higher BW gain 51 kg that the CON heifers 40 kg P  005 In addition LASsupplemented heifers had a higher BCS 353 than CON heifers 338 at the end of the experiment P  005 The heifers supplemented with LAS had a higher profitability than the CON heifers even with the higher cost of the supplement containing LAS this effect was due to the higher live BW at the end of the study We concluded that the administration of a mineral supplement energytype protein with added LAS has beneficial effects on beef heifers in terms of production and economic feasibility

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