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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 63(17)

Feeding behaviour of beef cattle in intensive finishing on pasture and supplemented with different additives

I. M. Xavier https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0735-9468 A * , D. H. Pereira A , D. dos S. Pina B , B. C. Pedreira https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4663-954X C , D. C. Bolson D , T. A. Prado D , A. C. de Faria A and H. D. R. Alba B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Mato Grosso Federal University, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

B Department of Animal Science, Bahia Federal University, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

C University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.

D Fortuna Nutrição Animal, Nova Canaã do Norte, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

* Correspondence to: imacedox@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Andrew Fisher

Animal Production Science 63(17) 1782-1790 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN22257
Submitted: 30 June 2022  Accepted: 21 August 2023  Published: 11 September 2023

© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

Concentrate supplementation at high rates represents a method used to improve the productive efficiency of the beef cattle grazing system. Further, the use of additives increases the nutrient-use efficiency of diets. In this sense, it is important to determine the impact of additives in grazing beef cattle fed with high-concentrate supplements to determine the appropriate management practices of the system.

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate the feeding behaviour of Nellore beef cattle (Bos taurus indicus) in intensive finishing on pasture and fed with different additives.

Methods

Twenty-eight Nellore cattle [with initial bodyweight (BW) of 480 ± 5 kg and age of 24 ± 2 months] were finished on Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã pastures. The animals were assigned to a completely randomised design with four experimental supplements: U (urea as non-protein nitrogen source), UO (slow-release urea partially replacing urea), UOL (supplement UO + Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast), and UOLP (supplement UOL + multi-strain probiotics).

Key results

Supplement intake and idleness time were most affected by the season (P < 0.001). The total dry-matter intake was higher in UOLP (P < 0.004), and this supplement also produced the least effects on feeding behaviour.

Conclusion

The beginning of the rains affected the feeding behaviour. The additive combination in intensive finishing on pasture, such as UOL and UOLP, improved the intake and did not affect the feeding behaviour during the day.

Implications

These results indicate that the use of additives in intensive finishing on pasture improves productive efficiency and does not change the animal’s behaviour, resulting in an important technology to be disseminated and applied by grazing beef cattle producers.

Keywords: beef cattle, feeding behaviour, high supplementation, intensive finishing, pasture, probiotic, ruminant nutrition, water.

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