Performance and metabolic status of grazing beef heifers receiving increasing protein supplementation pre- and postpartum
Deilen Sotelo A C , Mário Fonseca Paulino A , Luciana Navajas Rennó A , Edenio Detmann A , Roman Maza Ortega A , David Contreras Marquez A , Leandro Soares Martins A , Daniel Mageste de Almeida A , Josilaine Aparecida da Costa Lima B and Felipe Henrique de Moura A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Animal Science Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Avenuenida Peter Henry Rolfs, Viçosa, MG, CEP 36570-900, Brazil.
B Animal Science Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenuenida Costa e Silva, sn, Cidade Universitária, Campo Grande, MS, CEP 79070-900, Brazil.
C Corresponding author. Email: mvzpaff@gmail.com
Animal Production Science 59(7) 1244-1252 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN17485
Submitted: 15 September 2017 Accepted: 27 July 2018 Published: 26 September 2018
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of prepartum and postpartum protein supplementation on nutrient intake and digestibility, productive performance and metabolic status of beef heifers on tropical pasture. Twenty-eight pregnant beef heifers with bodyweight and body condition score of 459.7 ± 6.8 kg and 5.8 ± 0.10 respectively, were used. The experiment was performed according to a completely randomised design, with the following four treatments: 0.0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 kg/animal.day of protein supplement containing 25% crude protein. All animals received a mineral mixture ad libitum. The experiment lasted 210 days, divided into three experimental periods. The supplementation level increased the intake of all evaluated nutrients, digestibility of organic matter, neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein, as well as higher average daily gain prepartum and bodyweight of calves at birth (P < 0.05). Protein supplement at the levels evaluated did not affect body condition score (P > 0.05). An interaction effect between treatment × days in relation to calving occurred for concentrations of serum urea nitrogen, total proteins, albumin and globulins (P < 0.05). Supplementation did not affect glucose, triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate or progesterone (P > 0.05). In conclusion, supply of up to 1.2 kg/day of protein supplement for grazing beef heifers optimises forage intake and average daily gain before calving, and improves the indicators of the protein status.
Additional keywords: beef cattle, forage, metabolism.
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