The effects of protein and energy supplements at two levels of daily intake - 0.17% and 0.37% of live weight (LW) - on the performance of steers under Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pasture were economically evaluated using 14 steers per treatment. Treatments were: MS - mineral supplementation (control), SUP1 - protein and energy supplementation with an average daily intake of 0.17% of live weight, and SUP2 - protein and energy supplementation with an average daily intake of 0.37% of live weight. Steers of treatments SUP1 and SUP2 showed higher weight gains, 0.655 and 0.746kg/animal/day, respectively, in relation to those in the control group, 0.535kg/animal/dia. Higher operational profits were observed, R$67.12/animal/period and R$72.08/animal/period, for steers from SUP1 and SUP2 treatments, respectively; in comparison to the R$66.67/animal/period for MS treatment. The residual remunerations of R$59.92, R$55.10, and R$54.85/animal/period, for steers from SUP2, SUP1, and SM, respectively, strongly suggest that energy-protein supplementation allow higher economic profit.
steers; performance; cost; profit; pasture
