Protein and energy supplementation of steers during the transition of the wet to the dry season

The effect of two levels of daily intake (0.17% and 0.37% of live weight) of protein and energy supplementation on weight gain and on dry matter intake of bulls grazing Brachiaria Brizantha cv. Marandu grass was evaluated. Forty two bulls (Holstein x Gir - HG), averaging 211kg initial L W, were used in the performance trial, and 15 HG steers, averaging 239kg initial LW, for evaluation of total dry matter intake (TDMI) and forage dry matter intake (FDMI). The treatments were: MS - mineral supplementation, SUP1 - protein and energy supplementation with an average daily intake of 0.17% of the live body weight, and SUP2 - protein and energy supplementation with an average daily intake of 0.37% of the live body weight. The average FDMI intakes were 2.6, 2.4, and 2.3% of the LW, for MS, SUP1 and SUP2, respectively. The average TDMI intakes were 2.6, 2.6, and 2.6% for MS, SUP1, and SUP2, respectively Protein and energy supplementation increased weight gain from 0. 54kg/day in the MS treatment to 0. 66 and 0. 75kg/dayfor SUP1 and SUP2, respectively.