The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of concentrate in the fattening of pasture- supplemented crossbred steers over the dry season. The experiment was conducted in the cattle production sector at the Department of Animal Science at the University Federal of Lavras -UFLA thought out the months of April to June 2002.Twenty four crossbred cattle (Holstein x Zebu), males, castrated and with means of live weight of 281 kg were utilized. Over the experimental period, the animals were housed on a Brachiaria brizantha pasture with an area of 11.5 ha and the means forage availability of 2,685 and 2,260 kg/DM/ha at the initial and end of the experiment, respectively. The treatments consisted by increasing level of the concentrate (80% ground year corn and 20% cotton seed) calculated on a live weight percent bases of each animal: T1 0%, T2 0.2%, T3 0.4%, T-0.6% and adjusted every 7 days after weighing. The experiment was in a randomized blocks design, with initial live weight as a blocking factor, and being 6 blocks and 4 treatments, in a total of 24 experimental plots. For data analysis, the statistical software SAEG was utilized. There was a significant effect with linear adjustment of the concentrate levels on the daily weight gain with the maximum point of 0.6% of LW. The higher the level of concentrate used the greater the weight gain. However, when taking into account the income to expense ratio and feed conversion, the level of 0.4% concentrate on the bases of LWB should be indicated by resulting in the best cost: profit ratio.
Brachiaria brizantha; Holstein x Zebu steers; liveweight gain; suplementation
