title: Performance and carcass yield of crossbred dairy steers fed diets with different levels of concentrate.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diets with increasing concentrate levels (170, 340, 510 and 680 g/kg of total dry matter) on dry matter intake, digestibility, performance and carcass characteristics of 25 Holstein-Zebu crossbred dairy steers in a feedlot. A completely randomized design was used, and data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression. The dry matter intake and digestibility coefficients of all nutrients increased linearly. The total weight gain and average daily gain added 1.16 kg and 9.90 g, respectively, for each 10 g/kg increase in concentrate. The empty body weight, hot carcass weight and cold carcass weight responded linearly to increasing concentrate. The hot carcass yield and cold carcass yield, gains in empty body weight and carcass gain were also influenced, as were the efficiencies of carcass deposition and carcass deposition rate. It is concluded that increasing concentrate levels in feedlot diets increase the intake and digestibility of dry matter and other nutrients, improving the feed efficiency, performance and physical characteristics of the carcass. Furthermore and of importance concerning the climate change debate, evidence from the literature indicates that enteric methane production would be reduced with increasing concentrate levels such as those used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Santana
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônia Sherlanea
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Chaves Véras
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Andrade Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Moreira Dutra
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Luciana
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Menezes Wanderley Neves
authors.affiliation: Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Serra Talhada, PE, 56900-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evaristo Jorge
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Fernando
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Ramos de Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Campus Arapiraca, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Av. Manoel Severino Barbosa, s/n, Bom Sucesso, Arapiraca, AL, Brazil, 57309-005. juniorzootec@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Dorgival Morais
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Lima
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D000069466:Red Meat; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Dairy bulls; Digestibility; Energy levels; Feed efficiency