Slow‑release urea to replace soybean meal in finishing feedlot cattle

Authors

  • Henrique de Oliveira Azevedo Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Fabiano Alvim Barbosa Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Décio Souza Graça Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Pedro Veiga Rodrigues Paulino Nutron Alimentos, Campinas, SP
  • Rafahel Carvalho Souza Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Betim, MG
  • Thiago José Piron Lavall Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Betim, MG
  • Filipe Lage Bicalho Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Belo Horizonte, MG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2015.v50.19999

Keywords:

live weight gain, non‑protein nitrogen, rumen degradable protein, protected urea

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of replacing crude protein of soybean meal by slow‑release urea on the performance, carcass traits, and feeding costs of feedlot Nelore steers. Forty‑eight Nelore steers were used, with an average age of 22 months and weight of 367.95+18.52 kg. A completely randomized design was used with four treatments: SM, 8.91% soybean meal and 0% slow‑release urea (SRU); OP33, 6.01% soybean meal and 0.46% SRU; OP67, 2.94% soybean meal and 0.94% SRU; and OP100, 0% soybean meal and 1.41% SRU. No difference was observed between treatments for the variables initial weight, final weight, average daily gain, carcass gain, dry matter intake, feed conversion, biological efficiency, hot carcass weight, carcass yield, and feed cost of produced arroba. Slow‑release urea, used to partially or totally replace protein of soybean meal in the diet, does not modify the performance, carcass traits, and economic efficiency of feedlot cattle.

Published

2015-12-09

How to Cite

Azevedo, H. de O., Barbosa, F. A., Graça, D. S., Rodrigues Paulino, P. V., Souza, R. C., Lavall, T. J. P., & Bicalho, F. L. (2015). Slow‑release urea to replace soybean meal in finishing feedlot cattle. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 50(11), 1079–1086. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2015.v50.19999

Issue

Section

ANIMAL NUTRITION