Freitas et al., 2010. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 39 (1): 225-232
Substituição da silagem de milho por silagem de girassol na dieta de novilhos em confinamento: comportamento ingestivo
The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of replacing corn silage with sunflower silage (0, 33 e 66% DM) on the ingestive behavior of fedlot steers. Nine castrated steers were used, with average 288 kg initial live weight and 20 month old from the Nellore (N), 21/32Charolais (C) 11/32N and 21/32N 11/32C genetic groups. A randomized complete block experimental design was used, with three replications per treatment. The tested diets were: 100% corn silage and 0% sunflower silage; 70.94% corn silage and 29.06% sunflower silage and 38.27% corn silage and 61.73% sunflower silage, all with a 60:40 roughage:concentrate ratio. Time spent lying idle was greater for steers that consumed only corn silage as roughage compared to those that consumed sunflower silage. Time spent standing idle was similar between 33 (1.84 h) and 66% sunflower silage (1.96 h) and lower for 0% sunflower silage (1.62 h). The animals rumination time increased with the inclusion of sunflower on diet, with values of 8.61; 8.76 and 9.45 h, respectively for 0; 33 and 66% sunflower silage.
Animals fed only with corn silage show better dry matter and neutral detergent fiber rumination efficiencies. The time spent feeding decrease with higher participation of sunflower silage.