Avaliaram-se os consumos e as digestibilidades aparentes dos nutrientes de dietas fornecidas para bovinos Nelore nas fases de recria e terminação. Foram utilizados 32 novilhos Nelore não-castrados, com peso médio de 240 kg, confinados em baias individuais, na fase de recria, e 16 novilhos com peso médio de 360 kg, na fase de terminação. Após a pesagem, os animais foram distribuídos em esquema fatorial 4 x 2 (quatro níveis de concentrado x dois níveis de proteína), com quatro repetições por tratamento na fase de recria e duas repetições na fase de terminação, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Os quatro níveis de concentrado utilizados nas dietas foram 20, 40, 60 e 80% e os dois níveis de PB, 15 e 18%, na base da MS, utilizando-se o feno de capim-Tifton 85 como volumoso. Os teores máximos de NDT de 72,33% foram estimados com 40,40% de concentrado e não houve efeito dos teores de proteína bruta das dietas sobre as digestibilidades dos nutrientes na fase de recria. Na fase de recria, os consumos de matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), proteína bruta (PB) e carboidratos totais (CHOT) máximos de 7,60; 7,23; 1,30; e 5,77 kg/dia foram estimados para 45,94; 46,94; 40,91; e 48,18% de concentrado, respectivamente. O consumo da FDN apresentou redução linear com o aumento do nível de concentrado na dieta, enquanto a digestibilidade da FDN não foi alterada. Na fase de terminação, os consumos de MS, PB, FDN e FDA foram reduzidos linearmente com o aumento dos níveis de concentrado, enquanto os consumos de MO, CHOT e NDT não foram influenciados; as digestibilidades da MS e CHOT aumentaram linearmente, enquanto as da PB e EE não foram influenciadas pelos níveis de concentrados nas dietas.

The effects of urea levels on feed intake, digestibility and carcass traits of 27 confined cross bred steers weighing 303.25 ± 60.8kg, were evaluated. After weighing, castrating, vaccinating and a period of seven days, three steers were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment and the remaining 24 were allotted in a completely randomized design to four isonitogenous experimental diets (12% of crude protein) and increasing level of urea on the dry matter-basis (0.0; 0.65; 1.30 and 1.65%) to replace soybean meal, so that the final content of the experimental diets were approximately 22, 37, 50 and 63% of crude protein in the form of NPN. Corn and elephant grass silages were supplied at a 70:30 ratio and the total diet had a 65:35, forage: concentrate ratio on a DM-basis. The urea level did not affect nutrient intake, except for rumen degradable protein (RDP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) linearly increased in function of diet urea level. The nutrient digestibilities linearly increased except for ether extract and non fiber carbohydrate (NFC). A quadratic effect of diet urea level on daily weight gain and no effect of urea level on carcass traits were observed. Urea can totally replace soybean meal in diets for confined crossed dairy steers allowing gains of 1kg/day. Urea can enhance nutrient digestibility of diets.

This study aimed to evaluate performance, to evaluate performance, carcass traits, feeding behavior, and humoral immune response in Nellore and Angus × Nellore steers fed whole shelled corn diets. Sixteen Nellore and 16 Angus × Nellore steers with 353 ± 25.3 kg were randomly assigned into 2 feeding groups, whole shelled corn without forage (WSC) or whole shelled corn and sugarcane bagasse (WSCB). The data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Angus × Nellore steers had greater final BW, DMI, ADG, and subcutaneous fat thickness than Nellore. Moreover, Nellore steers had lower neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake but spent more time ruminating and had a greater rumination rate of NDF. Regarding the diets, steers fed the WSCB had greater DMI and spent more time chewing and ruminating. Nellore × Angus steers had a greater haptoglobin concentration. The concentration of D-Lactate tended to be greater in the Nellore steers regardless of diet. In conclusion, the use of sugarcane bagasse in WSC diets increases DMI and ADG without affecting feed efficiency or the carcass traits of the steers. Although Angus × Nellore steers have increased haptoglobin concentration, this effect was not enough to reduce the performance of these animals.