Correlation between performance and ingestive behavior of steers post-weaned on pastures

Autor: Daniel Lucas Santos Dias, Robério Rodrigues Silva, Fabiano Fereira da Silva, Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho, Daniele Soares Barroso, Venicio Macedo Carvalho
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2014
Předmět:
Zdroj: Acta Scientiarum: Animal Sciences, Vol 36, Iss 1 (2014)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1806-2636
1807-8672
DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v36i1.21501
Popis: The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlations existing between nutrient intake and ingestive behavior of crossbred steers in the post-weaning phase on Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, during the rainy period. Twenty-two steers were distributed into a completely randomized design, with two types of supplement and eleven replications, managed under rotational grazing, in a 6.5 ha area. Pearson’s Linear Correlation analysis was performed between the behavior variables and the performance variables values. The correlation coefficients were tested by the t test. The average daily gain (ADG) showed positive correlation with the times spent ruminating and eating at the trough and total chewing time. Positive correlation was observed between the idle time and feed conversion (FC). The bite rate and the number of bites per day presented positive correlations with ADG. Positive correlations were found between the variables rumination efficiency of dry matter (DM) and of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) with ADG. The ingestive behavior has a direct influence on the productive performance of crossbred steers post-weaned on pasture during the rainy period. Rumination efficiency improved when the animals were fed protein supplementation, which led to better utilization the ingested feed.
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