Effect of mineral protein suplements on live weight gain of grazing cattle

Abstract

This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplements based on non-protein nitrogen (NPN) as: urea, amirea and multinutritional block, on live weight gain and cost analysis for cattle kept in pastures. During a period of 104 days(April to July 2004), 40 crossbreed bulls, uncastrated and initial average weight of 379kg, were allocated into 4 paddocks with Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, in continuous pasture system receiving, in troughs, the following treatments: mineral salt (control), protein supplement containing amirea, protein supplement containing urea and multinutritional block. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with repetition within the block. Results of availability bromatological composition of pasture, supplement consumption and daily weight gain of animals were evaluated in two experimental sub-periods: 0 to 45 and 45 to 90 days. In the first sub-period, there was no effect of treatments (P>0.05) on daily weight gain but in the second sub-period, the multinutritional block showed smaller (P<0.05) weight gain than the ones which were similar among themselves, being: 0.60; 0.59; 0.61 and 0.22kg/animal/day, respectively, for the treatments with mineral salt, amirea, urea and multinutritional block. Before these edafoclimatic conditions, the period and duration of the experiment, the supplementation with mineral salt provided the higher profit.