Performance of beef cattle fed different forages and housed in individual or collective pens

Abstract

Forages play a key role on the performance of beef cattle in feedlot systems. Twenty-four non-castrated Red Norte × Nelore males with an average initial body weight (BW) of 439.8 kg and 21.7 months of age were distributed in three experimental groups, and housed either in individual or collective pens (twelve animals in individual pens and twelve in three collective pens) at the School-Farm of IF Goiano (Iporá Campus). The experiment lasted 84 days (14 days for adaptation and 70 days for data collection). Animals were fed once daily with diets containing in natura sugar cane (ISC), sugar cane silage (SCS) or corn silage (CS) as sources of forage. Feed refusals were measured daily and dry matter intake (DMI) was determined by difference. BW was recorded every two weeks after a twelve-hour fasting period. There was no effect (P>0.05) of source of forage on DMI in animals housed in individual pens, as well as there was no response (P>0.05) of source of forage on growth performance. The three sources of forage did not alter (P>0.05) carcass traits. Animals housed in individual pens increased (P<0.05) empty gastrointestinal tract weight (11.9 kg) compared with animals housed in collective pens (10.2 kg). The three sources of forage (ISC, SCS and CS) can be recommended for beef cattle feeding in feedlot systems.