Níveis de suplementação em pastagem de aveia e azevém sobre o comportamento ingestivo de bezerros

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ingestive behavior of calves fed supplementation levels on oat + ryegrass pasture. The experimental design used was completely randomized with three treatments (supplementation levels) and three area replications. Supplementation levels were 8, 11 and 14 g/kg body weight of commercial supplement with 12% crude protein. The grazing system was continuous stocking with variable load, using two test animals per paddock. Visual assessments of ingestive behavior were carried out for 13 hours (06:30 am to 19:30 pm) on 07/04 and 08/22/2020, every 10 minutes. Height and forage supply were not changed (P>0.05) by supplementation levels. The leaf/stalk ratio was lower (P<0.05) for the supplementation level of 11 g/kg in relation to the lowest supplementation level (08 g/kg). Animal load was higher (P<0.05) at the two highest levels of supplementation in relation to the lowest level of supplementation, with no difference between the highest levels. Supplement intake time, grazing time, rumination time and time of other activities were not altered (P>0,05) by supplementation levels. The number of feeding stations/minute, steps/minute, bite rate, bites/feeding stations, steps/day, bites/day, feeding stations/day, chewing time/rumen bolus, number of chews/rumen bolus and number of chews/day were not influenced (P>0.05) by supplementation levels. Increasing the supplementation level from 8 to 14 g/kg of body weight does not change the ingestive behavior and the movement, capture and rumination pattern of Jersey steers on oat and ryegrass pasture, demonstrating that the choice of higher levels supplementation for finishing castrated Jersey males on winter pasture must take into account indicators of technical and economic efficiency.