INTAKE, DIGESTIBILITY AND PLASMA UREA NITROGEN IN HEIFERS FED SUPPLEMENTS WITH DIFFERENT RUMINAL UNDEGRADABLE PROTEIN LEVELS

Abstract

The effects of supplements with different levels (high, medium, low) of ruminal undegradable protein (RUP) by Brown-Swiss heifers grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu on the intake, digestibility and plasma N-urea concentrations were evaluated. The experiment lasted 90 days, divided in three periods of 30 days, corresponding to May, June and July 2000. Fifteen purebred Brown Swiss heifers (five by treatment), averaging 19.7 months and 394 kg live weight (LW), were used. The pasture availability was monitored to maintain offer of 6% LW, in green dry matter (GDM). The dry matter (DM) availability, GDM and leaf:stem ratio were evaluated. The heifers were fed 2.5 kg/head/day of concentrate supplement, offered twice a day (8 a.m. and 4 p.m.). Extrusa was collected in oesophagus fistulated animals. Indigestible neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in the feeds and feces was used to determine the intake and digestibility. There were no effects of supplements on the pasture, however there were differences among periods, because, as dry season progressed, the forage availability decreased and leaf/stem ratio and senescent material proportion increased. There was no effect of treatments on forage intake or forage + supplement. DM, organic matter (OM) and CP digestibility, and total digestible nutrients (TDN) content were lower for the diets with high RUP content. It was observed interaction of period:treatment for the fiber digestibility, where in the treatments with high and medium RUP, the digestibility decreased as the dry season progressed and, in the treatment with low RUP, the digestibility increased. The animals fed supplement with high RUP content showed average plasma N-urea concentrations lower than those fed supplement with average RUP contents, followed by those fed diets with low RUP.

KEY WORDS: Brachiaria brizantha, rotational grazing, escape protein, supplementation.