Ganho de peso e de carcaça, consumo e conversao alimentar de bovinos e bubalinos, abatidos em dois estádios de maturidade

The research was carried to study the daily empty body weight gain (EBWG) and carcass gain (CG), daily dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) intake and feed gain/ratio of animals from four genetic groups, slaughtered at two stages of maturitv. Thirty-one intact males, including seven Nellore (NE), eight crossbred 1/4 Fleckvich-5/16 Angus-7/16 Nellore (BM), eight F1 Holstein-Nellore (HN), and eight Mediterranean-type buffalo (BLJF) were used. The animals were fed ad libitum a diet containing 50 percent concentrate dry matter basis in individual pens. The animals from each genetic group were randomly divided into two subgroups which were assigned to slaughter at weights corresponding to 100 and 110 percent of' the mature weight of the cow of the respective group (maturity AL-1 and AL-2). These weights were 450 and 500 kg for NE and BUK and 500 and 550 kg, for BM and HN, respectively. A completely randomized experimental design was used. There were no differences among genetic groups in EBWG, CG, and feed/gain ratio. Slaughter weights affected EBWG and CG, but had no influence on the feed/gain ratio. Differences in average daily dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) intakes among genetic groups reflected the differences between weights of animals of the various groups, which disappeared when expressed per unit of' metabolic weight (g/kg (0.75)) or as a percentage of empty body weight (percent EBW). (RA)