The supplementation of concentrate to young bulls kept in pastures of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu during the dry season of the year was evaluated. A total of 16 young bulls from Canchim breed, with 7 mo old and 250 kg, was allotted to a completely randomized design in 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The factors consisted of balanced supplements for two potential of microbial fermentation - 9.5 and 11.0 g microbial crude protein/MJ fermentable metabolizable energy and for weight gain of 0.5 and 1.0 kg/day. The animals were daily individually supplemented by 168 days, after 21 days of adaptation. The daily intake of forage was estimated in 5.91 kg dry matter/animal. The supplementation for 0.5 kg/day of weight gain provided gains and feed conversion of 0.94 kg/day and 2.08 kg supplement/kg of gain, respectively, lower than the results obtained to weight gain of 1.0 kg/day (1.09 kg/day and 3.18 kg supplement/kg gain, respectively). There was no effect of the fermentation potential on weight gain, feed conversion and ribeye area, but the final backfat thickness increased with the higher potential fermentation. The supplementation for 0.5 kg/day weight gain showed better economic outcome, but did not allow to obtain appropriate slaughter weight. The supplementation with concentrate formulated to increase the efficiency of rumen microbial protein synthesis, however, reduced the profitability of the system.
body weight gain; Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu; Canchim; economic evaluation; fermentation potential
