Total replacement of soybean meal by urea or starea in high grain diets for beef cattle

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal by urea or starea on feedlot cattle performance. Eighty-one yearling intact males (27 Nellore, 27 Canchim and 27 Holstein) were used, with initial body weight of 250 kg. Animals were assigned to a completely random block design according to initial weight and breed. There were nine pen/treatment with three animals/pen. Experimental treatments were: 1) soybean meal, 2) urea and 3) starea. Diets contained 13% CP and were composed of 80% concentrate and 20% raw sugarcane bagasse. DMI was 6.56, 7.18 and 6.97 kg/day, average daily gain was 0.889, 1.114 and 1.088 kg/day and feed conversion was 7.3, 6.5 and 6.7 kg DM/kg gain for soybean meal, urea and starea, respectively. Soybean meal reduced (P < 0.01) DMI, average daily gain and feed efficiency and there was no difference (P > 0.05) between urea and starea treatments.