Nitrogênio não proteico em substituição ao farelo de soja na dieta de vacas F1 Holandês x Zebu / Non-protein nitrogen used in replacement of soybean meal in the diet of F1 Holstein x Zebu cows

Objetivou-se avaliar a inclusão de ureia em substituição do farelo de soja na dieta de vacas F1 Holandês x Zebu sobre parâmetros digestivos, produtivos e econômicos. Os níveis de substituição foram de 0, 33, 66 e 100%. Foram utilizadas 8 vacas distribuídas em dois quadrados latinos 4 x 4, com 4 períodos de 18 dias. As amostras de alimentos, sobras, fezes e leite foram analisadas em laboratório e a análise econômica foi realizada por custeio direto. O consumo de matéria seca, proteína bruta, fibra em detergente neutro, carboidratos não fibrosos e nutrientes digestíveis totais, assim como a digestibilidade não foram influenciados pelos níveis de ureia nas dietas. Já a digestibilidade da proteína bruta aumentou linearmente. A produção de leite, ganho de peso, escore de condição corporal e a eficiência de uso do nitrogênio dietético não foram alterados, favorecendo economicamente o uso da maior inclusão de ureia nas dietas. Concluiu-se que a substituição total do farelo de soja pela ureia na dieta de vacas primíparas F1 Holandês x Zebu, não modifica os parâmetros digestivos, mantém o escore de condição corporal, permite o uso do nitrogênio de forma eficiente e é economicamente viável em relação ao uso de farelo de soja, para uma produção média de 10 kg de leite dia.

It was evaluated the inclusion of urea in place of soybean meal in the diet of cows F1 Holstein x Zebu on digestive, productive and economic parameters. The substitution levels of soybean meal by urea were 0, 33, 66 and 100%. It was used eight cows distributed in a two Latin squares 4 x 4, with four periods of 18 days. The feed, orts, milk and feces samples were analyzed in the laboratory and the economic analysis was performed by direct costing. The DM intake, CP, NDF, NFC and TDN as well as the digestibility were not influenced by levels of urea in the diets. The CP digestibility showed increasing linear effect. Milk production, gaining weight, body condition score and the dietary nitrogen use efficiency were unchanged, favoring the use of the economically most urea inclusion in diets. It was concluded that the total replacement of soybean meal by urea in the diet of primiparous cows F1 Holstein x Zebu, does not modify the digestive parameters of animals, keeps the body condition score, allows the use of nitrogen efficiently and economically viable regarding the use of soybean meal to an average production of 10 kg of milk day

Effect of feeding strategies on weaning weight and milk production of Holstein × Zebu calves in dual purpose milk production systems.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of five feeding strategies on calf weaning weight, and cow milk production and composition in Brazilian Holstein × Zebu cows. A total of 60 cows and their calves were allocated to each of five treatments. Cows in treatments 1, 2 and 3 were milked for 270 days and cows in treatments 4 and 5 were milked for 180 days. Calves in treatment 1 (CON) were not supplemented with concentrate whereas calves from treatment 2 (CLPN) received 1 kg of concentrate daily from 90 to 270 days of age and calves from treatment 3 received 1 kg of concentrated from 180 to 270 days of age. Calves in treatment 4 (CCPS) were supplemented with 1 kg of concentrate from 90 to 180 days of age and calves in treatment 5 (CLPS) were supplemented with 1 kg of concentrate from 90 to 270 days of age. Calves from the CLPS treatment had greater milk and protein intakes (P < 0.05) and greater growth rate than calves from the other treatments. Our results indicate that the traditional system of feeding calves with no concentrate results in a weight gain of 600 g/day. The CLPS treatment produced calves with the highest live weight and growth rate. The nutritional strategy with restricted supply of milk for the calves with concomitantly short-term concentrate supplementation does not improve performance of calves but did increase feed costs.

Meat production in a feedlot system of Zebu-Holstein steers and heifers with dairy genetics: productive and biological analyses.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive and biological efficiency of steers and heifers from dairy genetics in a feedlot system in terms of meat production. Twenty-four steers and 24 heifers at 10 monthes of age, (3/4) Zebu × (1/4) Holstein were utilized. They were distributed over four feedlot times, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days with four replications for each sex, and were slaughtered at the end of each period. The productive and biological analyses were performed through comparative slaughter to determine the body composition. Heifers presented with greater intakes (P < 0.05) of dry matter in grams per kg of body weight. Steers presented with a greater (P < 0.05) final empty body weight, carcass gain, cold carcass weight, and meat proportion in the carcass; however, heifers presented with a greater subcutaneous fat thickness (P < 0.05) and, consequently, a greater (P < 0.05) fat proportion in the carcass. We conclude that steers are more efficient in their productive performance than heifers in a feedlot. For the finishing carcass fat cover, heifers need 90 days in the feedlot. The net energy requirements for maintenance are 67 kcal/EBW(0.75)/d, and the net requirements of energy (NEg) and protein (NPg) for gain can be estimated by the following equations: NEg(Mcal/d) = 0.067 × EBW(0.75) × EBG(1.095) and NPg = 162 × EBG - 5.62 × RE for the two sexes.