Prado et al., 2003. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 32 (3): 737-744
Níveis de substituição da silagem de milho pela silagem de resíduo industrial de abacaxi sobre o desempenho de bovinos confinados
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of gradual substitution of corn silage (0, 20, 40 and 60% of dry matter) by pineapple byproducts silage on average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion, carcass yield, fat thickness and loin eye area of bulls finished in feedlot. 28 bulls at approximately 20 months of age and with initial body weight of 328 kg were divided in a completely randomized design, with 4 treatments (levels of pineapple byproducts silage) and 7 replicates. Besides the corn silage and/or pineapple byproducts silage, the animals received a concentrate formed by soyabean meal, corn, mineral salt, urea and monensin. The animals were kept in individual stables and fed ad libitum during 96 days. At the end of the period, the animals were slaughtered and the carcass characteristics were measured. It was shown that there was no treatment effect on final body weight, average daily gain, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre intake, dry matter feed conversion, hot carcass weight and yield, loin eye area and fat thickness. Dry matter, organic matter, metabolizable energy intake for 100 kg body weight decreased linearly.