Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of supplemental CP on the nutritional characteristics and performance of Holstein × Gyr crossbreed heifers grazing intensively-managed Brachiaria decumbens throughout the year. Thirty-eight heifers with average initial body weight of 172.5 ± 11.15 kg (mean ± SE) and 8...

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Main Authors: Marcelo Messias Duarte Castro, Trevor James DeVries, Andreia Ferreira Machado, Marina Madureira Ferreira, Luciana Navajas Rennó, Marcos Inacio Marcondes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289747
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author Marcelo Messias Duarte Castro
Trevor James DeVries
Andreia Ferreira Machado
Marina Madureira Ferreira
Luciana Navajas Rennó
Marcos Inacio Marcondes
author_facet Marcelo Messias Duarte Castro
Trevor James DeVries
Andreia Ferreira Machado
Marina Madureira Ferreira
Luciana Navajas Rennó
Marcos Inacio Marcondes
author_sort Marcelo Messias Duarte Castro
collection DOAJ
description We aimed to evaluate the effect of supplemental CP on the nutritional characteristics and performance of Holstein × Gyr crossbreed heifers grazing intensively-managed Brachiaria decumbens throughout the year. Thirty-eight heifers with average initial body weight of 172.5 ± 11.15 kg (mean ± SE) and 8.2 ± 0.54 mo of age were randomly assigned to four treatments: three protein supplements (SUP) composed of soybean meal and ground corn fed at 5g/kg of BW, plus a control group (CON). The supplements had 12, 24 and 36% of CP for treatments S12 (n = 9), S24 (n = 10), and S36 (n = 9), respectively. The experiment latest one year, subdivided into four seasons: rainy, dry, rainy-dry transition (RDT), and dry-rainy transition (DRT). Feces and pasture samples were collected for 4 days in each season, using chromium oxide, titanium dioxide, and indigestible neutral detergent fiber (NDF) to estimate fecal excretion, supplement, and pasture intake, respectively. The data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIXED of the SAS with repeated measures. No effects of supplementation were detected on pasture and NDF intake. However, SUP animals had a greater intake of DM, metabolizable energy, and metabolizable protein. A positive linear response on metabolizable protein intake was observed among SUP animals. We observed an interaction between treatment and season for all digestibility variables, with a positive linear response in CP digestibility among SUP animals during all seasons. For neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility, we observed a positive linear response in RDT and rainy seasons and a quadratic response during the dry season. Furthermore, SUP animals had greater average daily gain (ADG) than non-supplemented animals, and among SUP animals, there was a quadratic response to ADG, with the greatest gain observed in S24. We observed greater nitrogen retention coefficient in SUP animals than in non-supplemented animals and a positive linear effect among SUP animals. Supplemental CP did not affect microbial protein production and efficiency. We observed an interaction between treatment and season for blood glucose, with SUP animals having greater glucose concentration in all seasons than non-supplemented animals. Additionally, we observed a quadratic response among SUP animals only during RDT and dry season, with the greatest glucose concentration in S24. SUP animals had greater blood concentrations of urea and IGF-1. In conclusion, SUP animals had greater intake, digestibility, and performance than non-supplemented animals, with the 24% CP supplement demonstrating the best metabolic responses and performance.
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spelling doaj.art-547f4e69bb5f4b68be290e6293112e7f2023-09-04T05:32:16ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01188e028974710.1371/journal.pone.0289747Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.Marcelo Messias Duarte CastroTrevor James DeVriesAndreia Ferreira MachadoMarina Madureira FerreiraLuciana Navajas RennóMarcos Inacio MarcondesWe aimed to evaluate the effect of supplemental CP on the nutritional characteristics and performance of Holstein × Gyr crossbreed heifers grazing intensively-managed Brachiaria decumbens throughout the year. Thirty-eight heifers with average initial body weight of 172.5 ± 11.15 kg (mean ± SE) and 8.2 ± 0.54 mo of age were randomly assigned to four treatments: three protein supplements (SUP) composed of soybean meal and ground corn fed at 5g/kg of BW, plus a control group (CON). The supplements had 12, 24 and 36% of CP for treatments S12 (n = 9), S24 (n = 10), and S36 (n = 9), respectively. The experiment latest one year, subdivided into four seasons: rainy, dry, rainy-dry transition (RDT), and dry-rainy transition (DRT). Feces and pasture samples were collected for 4 days in each season, using chromium oxide, titanium dioxide, and indigestible neutral detergent fiber (NDF) to estimate fecal excretion, supplement, and pasture intake, respectively. The data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIXED of the SAS with repeated measures. No effects of supplementation were detected on pasture and NDF intake. However, SUP animals had a greater intake of DM, metabolizable energy, and metabolizable protein. A positive linear response on metabolizable protein intake was observed among SUP animals. We observed an interaction between treatment and season for all digestibility variables, with a positive linear response in CP digestibility among SUP animals during all seasons. For neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility, we observed a positive linear response in RDT and rainy seasons and a quadratic response during the dry season. Furthermore, SUP animals had greater average daily gain (ADG) than non-supplemented animals, and among SUP animals, there was a quadratic response to ADG, with the greatest gain observed in S24. We observed greater nitrogen retention coefficient in SUP animals than in non-supplemented animals and a positive linear effect among SUP animals. Supplemental CP did not affect microbial protein production and efficiency. We observed an interaction between treatment and season for blood glucose, with SUP animals having greater glucose concentration in all seasons than non-supplemented animals. Additionally, we observed a quadratic response among SUP animals only during RDT and dry season, with the greatest glucose concentration in S24. SUP animals had greater blood concentrations of urea and IGF-1. In conclusion, SUP animals had greater intake, digestibility, and performance than non-supplemented animals, with the 24% CP supplement demonstrating the best metabolic responses and performance.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289747
spellingShingle Marcelo Messias Duarte Castro
Trevor James DeVries
Andreia Ferreira Machado
Marina Madureira Ferreira
Luciana Navajas Rennó
Marcos Inacio Marcondes
Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.
PLoS ONE
title Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.
title_full Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.
title_fullStr Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.
title_full_unstemmed Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.
title_short Metabolic responses and performance of Holstein × Gyr heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels.
title_sort metabolic responses and performance of holstein gyr heifers grazing brachiaria decumbens supplemented with varied crude protein levels
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289747
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