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The performance, behavior and forage intake of grazing beef heifers at two phenological stages of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.): pre-flowering and flowering, were studied. The heifers remained exclusively on pasture or receiving corn grain or extruded supplement plus fat. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 3×2 arrangement (three feeding systems x two phenological stages of Italian ryegrass). The forage intake was evaluated using chromic oxide as a faecal production indicator. Mean values of herbage mass and leaf allowance were 1636kg ha-1 of dry matter (DM) and 2.3kg of DM 100kg-1 live weight (LW), respectively. Heifers kept exclusively on pasture consumed more grass without difference of those receiving fat. Heifers exclusively on pasture presented greater daily bite rate. The forage and total DM intake, which averaged 2.74 and 3.01% of LW, respectively, are similar at pre-flowering and flowering of ryegrass. The total forage DM intake and the grazing, rumination and idling times of beef heifers receiving supplements are similar to the use of the ryegrass exclusively, resulting in similar individual performance of heifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to evaluate the performance of beef heifers submitted to Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) pasture and under differents supplementation frequencies: exclusively on Italian ryegrass pasture; supplemented seven days/week and supplemented five days/week (Monday to Friday). The weekly amount of supplement (17% CP, 71% TDN) was similar for heifers daily supplemented and supplemented five days a week. The method used was of continuous grazing with variable stocking rate in a complet randomized design with three treatments and two area replication. The stocking rate is greater when animals are supplemented, regardless of supplementation frequency. The average daily weight gain, body condition score and live weight gain per area were similar among supplementation strategies. The reducion of supplementation frequency has no negative effects on animal performance and may be an option for feed management of herd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was evaluated the performance of beef heifers receiving different levels of supplement: 0; 0.3; 0.6 and 0.9% of body weight day-1, in black oats (Avena strigosa Schreb.) plus Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) pasture. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments and two area replicates. Beef heifers from different treatments had access to the same forage allowance (herbage mass and supply of green leaves). Increases on supplement quantity positively interfered on average daily gain, stocking rate, weight gain per area and forage transformation efficiency. Supplemented heifers had greater weight and body condition at 13 months of age than the non supplemented ones. In black oats plus Italian ryegrass pasture, providing up to 0.9% of body weight of the animal concentrate supplementation is an alternative for obtaining heavier heifers and in better body condition score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body development of beef heifers grazing Italian ryegrass pasture (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) was evaluated. The animals received different alternatives of mineral supplement: associated or not to ionophore addition and the treatments were: 'Common salt': mineralization with sodium chloride; '40P salt': mineralization with mineral salt plus 40g of phosphorus per kilo of product; 40P salt + ionophore: mineralization with 40g of phosphorus plus 2000mg of lasalocid per kg of product. The values of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and Ca and P of the apparently consumed forage, salt intake, body condition and body weight:height relation were similar (P>0.05) between animals receiving 'common salt', '40P salt' and '40P salt+ionophor'. For beef heifers grazing ryegrass pasture without intake restriction, the lasalocid associated to mineral salt provides a greater body weight at twelve months age and a positive financial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]