Test post-weaning duration for performance, feed intake and feed efficiency in Nellore cattle

Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia

André Michel De Castilhos²  Renata Helena Branco¹  Alexander George Razook¹  Sarah Figueiredo Martins Bonilha¹  Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante¹  Leopoldo Andrade De Figueiredo¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Estadual Paulista FMVZ Botucatu

关键词: beef cattle;    feeding performance test;    residual feed intake;    bovinos de corte;    consumo alimentar residual;    prova de ganho de peso;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1516-35982011000200010

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

This study was conducted to determine optimum test duration for measuring performance, feed intake and feed efficiency. Sixty young Nellore bulls were submitted to feeding performance test and fed in individual pens to determine feed intake and performance over 112 days. Body weight was determined every 28 days, after fasting of water and feed for 16 hours. Changes in variance, relative variance and Pearson and Spearman correlations among data from shortened test periods (28, 56 and 84 days) and full test period (112 days) were used to determine optimum test duration. Test duration for average daily gain, dry matter intake, feed:gain ratio and residual feed intake could be shortened to 84, 28, 84 and 84 days, respectively, without reducing significantly the reliability of measurements for animals fed in individual pens.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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