<b>Performance of steers supplemented with mineral mixtures in the State ofMato Grosso

The present study evaluated the effects of supplements on the productive performance and economical parameters of beef steers on pastures during the dry season. Twenty-four castrated steers with average age and weight of eighteen months and 269 kg, respectively, were evaluated in the following treat...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Euclides Reuter de Oliveira, Paulo César de Aguiar Paiva, José Libêncio Babilônia, Andréa Maria de Araújo Gabriel, Flávio Pinto Monção, Felipe de Almeida Nascimento
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Editora da Universidade Estadual de Maringá (Eduem) 2014-07-01
Series:Acta Scientiarum: Animal Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://186.233.154.254/ojs/index.php/ActaSciAnimSci/article/view/22499
Description
Summary:The present study evaluated the effects of supplements on the productive performance and economical parameters of beef steers on pastures during the dry season. Twenty-four castrated steers with average age and weight of eighteen months and 269 kg, respectively, were evaluated in the following treatments: pasture without minerals (P); pasture and mineral salt (PMS) and pasture and mineral salt plus urea (PMSU). The chemical composition showed low contents of crude protein and high values of neutral and acid detergent fiber for forages sampled in the form of complete collection compared with the grazing simulation technique. The supplementation with mineral salt plus urea led to a higher average daily gain (p < 0.05) than the animals on pasture without mineral. However, when the average daily gain was expressed per metabolic weight, the supplementation with mineral salt plus urea was superior (p < 0.05). The supplementation of animals on pasture proved economically profitable, and the use of mineral salt with urea in the dry season enables a better performance at viable costs.
ISSN:1806-2636
1807-8672