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Relationship between different sources of non-protein nitrogen and supplementation times on performance and metabolism of grazing Nellore cattle during the dry season

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Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation with two sources of non-protein nitrogen at different feeding times on the performance, ingestive behavior, and rumen metabolism of growing Nellore bulls during the dry season. Exp. 1: One hundred and twenty Nellore bulls, weighing 206 ± 39 kg of initial body weight (BW) and 12 months of age, were divided into 20 paddocks, and they were used in randomized block design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to evaluate performance and ingestive behavior. Exp. 2: 12 rumen cannulated animals with 509 ± 59 BW, divided into 4 paddocks, were used in a triple Latin square 4 × 4 in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to evaluate metabolism. The factors were 2 non-protein nitrogen sources (urea or slow-release urea) and 2 feeding times (07:00 or 13:00 at 4 g/kg BW of supplement). There was no influence of non-protein sources, supplementation time, or their interaction on the grazing time or the trough time during daytime, nighttime, or total (P ≥ 0.16). There were no interactions or factor effects on ADG (P ≥ 0.45) or final body weight (P ≥ 0.39). There was an interaction between supplementation time and collection time (P < 0.01) on ruminal pH. Animals supplemented in the morning had greater total SCFA at 18 h after supplementation (P = 0.03). The supplementation time and the non-protein nitrogen sources did not alter the ingestive behavior or animal performance of young Nellore cattle.

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Data availability

The datasets used or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the financial support provided by the Alltech, São Paulo Research Foundation [FAPESP; grant numbers # 2016/05131-4, #2017/50339-5 (PDIP), and 2018/20176-0] and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.

Funding

Verônica A. C. Mota and Laura F. Prados have received research support from São Paulo Research Foundation [FAPESP; grant numbers # 2016/05131–4, #2017/50339–5 (PDIP), and 2018/20176–0]. Alltech funded this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias E Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho,”, Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane s/n , Jaboticabal, SP 14.884-900, Brazil

    Verônica A. C. Mota, Keuven S. Nascimento, Rodolfo. M. Fernandes, Flávio D. Resende & Gustavo R. Siqueira

  2. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA), Avenida Rui Barbosa, Caixa Postal 35, Colina, SP 14.770-000, Brazil

    Laura F. Prados, Flávio D. Resende & Gustavo R. Siqueira

  3. Alltech, Maringá, PR, Brazil

    Luiz F. Costa e Silva

  4. Alltech, Nicholasville, KY, USA

    Vaughn B. Holder

  5. Pettigrew Research Services, Inc., Tubac, AZ, USA

    James E. Pettigrew

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  1. Verônica A. C. Mota
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Contributions

Gustavo R. Siqueira, Luiz F. Costa e Silva, and Flávio D. Resende initiated the idea and finished the experiment design. Verônica A. C. Mota and Rodolfo. M. Fernandes conducted the animal trial and laboratory index extermination. Keuven S. Nascimento and Laura F. Prados prepared the initial manuscript in English. Vaughn B. Holder and James E. Pettigrew made the final revision. All authors read, collaborated with the discussion, and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Keuven S. Nascimento.

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The experiment was conducted in accordance with the guidelines for animal well-being set out in State Law No. 11.977 of São Paulo, Brazil. All procedures and protocols involving the use of animals were approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use at the Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal campus, under protocol number 15471/15.

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Mota, V.A.C., Prados, L.F., Nascimento, K.S. et al. Relationship between different sources of non-protein nitrogen and supplementation times on performance and metabolism of grazing Nellore cattle during the dry season. Trop Anim Health Prod 54, 382 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03383-5

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