Fattening of steers in confinement using by-products from alcohol microdistilleries

Abstract

Nelore steers in confinement of 126 days were fed with sugarcane tops and bagasse in proportion of 8:2 or 6:4 with crushed sorghum heads. Within the same proportions of sugarcane tops and bagasse, the steers were fed with cottonseed meal and pigeon pea during the first 50 days of the test period, and with cottonseed meal and urea during the remaining 76 days. Changing the cane and bagasse proportion did not influence the quantity consumed; however, addition of pigeon pea and urea to the cane top and bagasse reduced the consumption (P<0.01). The weight gain remained about the same using pigeon pea during the first 50 days; however, addition of urea reduced the weight gain during the succeding 76 days (P<0.05). The best weight gain of 0.458 kg/head/day was obtained with the ration of the cane tops and bagasse in 6:4 proportion, 3 kg of sorghum and 1.3kg of cottonseed meal.