Recria de bovinos Marchangus em confinamento

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate bovines from São Marcos composite (1/2 Marchigiana + 1/2 Aberdeen Angus) in the rearing phase at feedlot in winter season, period of forage void, in a farm of the Iguaçú Valley Region - PR, comparing weight gain of males and females of different ages and to evaluate the economic efficiency of the confinement for this phase. The experiment was carried out in a period of 60 days, from July to September 2021, with a period of 15 days of adaptation, followed by an initial weighing and subsequent weighing every 30 days. The feeding of the animals in this period was made twice a day with corn silage (6.83% of CP and 34.40% of DM), mineral salt and water at will, together with 3 kg/head/day of commercial concentrate (18% of CP), the animals were maintained in a collective trough for the whole group, The experiment was submitted to covariance analyses due to the fact that the units used for it are of different ages and sexes, not maintaining an initial pattern, in this case the weight of the animals. The animals, from 8 to 10 months, males gained on average 47.6 Kg (793 g/day) and females 45.5 Kg (758 g/day), while the animals, from 10 to 12 months, males gained 90.6 Kg (1,500 g/day) and females 65.2 Kg (1,080 g/day). Thus, we conclude that Marchangus males present higher weight gain than females in feedlot in the rearing phase at the ages of 10 to 12 months what is not repeated with animals from 8 to 10 months and the higher the initial weight of the animals is better for total weight gain in animals confined together despite the difference in age, sex and body weight. Weight gain in the initial rearing period is higher and tends to stabilize at smaller gains over time. The weight gain of males compensates for feed costs in feedlot, providing financial surplus, while in females the value of weight gain is lower than this cost. However, considering the strategic advantages and the productive future of the animals, it is recommended to consonplace Marchangus males and females in the rearing phase as a strategy during the forage void in winter.