Performance, endocrine, metabolic, and reproductive responses of Nellore heifers submitted to different supplementation levels pre- and post-weaning

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Aline Gomes da
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Paulino, Mário Fonseca, Amorim, Lincoln da Silva, Detmann, Edenio, Moura, Felipe Henrique de, Manso, Marcos Rocha, Paiva, Paulo Henrique Silva e, Ortega, Román Enrique Maza, Melo, Luciano Prímola de, Rennó, Luciana Navajas
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: LOCUS Repositório Institucional da UFV
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1248-1; http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/19758
• topic: Biometry; Growth hormone; Insulin; Ruminant metabolism

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of high and low supplementation levels pre- and post-weaning on performance, endocrine, metabolic, and reproductive responses of Nellore heifers. Fifty Nellore heifers with 132 ± 9.9 kg average body weight (BW) and 138 ± 19 days of age were supplemented from 4 to 14 months. The heifers were distributed into five supplementation plans: HH—6 g/kg of BW of supplement pre- and post-weaning, HL—6 g/kg of BW of supplement pre-weaning and 3 g/kg post-weaning, LH—3 g/kg of BW pre-weaning and 6 g/kg of BW post-weaning, LL—3 g/kg of BW pre- and post-weaning, and CC—control, no supplementation. Interactions were not significant (P > 0.10). The level of supplement fed pre-weaning did not affect any of the performance variables evaluated at the end of the experiment (P > 0.10). There was a significant effect of supplementation and level of supplementation fed post-weaning on average daily gain (ADG) and final BW (P < 0.05). Overall ADG was also affected only by supplementation and level of supplement fed post-weaning (P < 0.05) with animals receiving 6 g/kg of BW post-weaning gaining more weight. Follicular diameter was greater in animals that received 6 g/kg of BW post-weaning (P < 0.05). In summary, performance, endocrine, metabolic, and reproductive variables evaluated in the current study were improved by the level of supplement fed post-weaning. Heifers receiving supplementation of 6 g/kg of BW post-weaning had greater responses, independent of the level received during the pre-weaning phase.