The experiment was conducted to evaluate, during the long-yearling, the performance of the steers and heifer calves in elefantegrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.), under continuous grazing associated with different sources supplementation: 0.5; 0.75; 1.0 and 1.25% of live weight day-1 (LW). Twenty Charolais, Nellore and their crossbreed steers and heifer calves with an average age of eighth days, respectively, average live weight of 134.5 and 122.1kg, were used. The supplementation period was 84 days, divided in four periods of the 21 days. The readiness dry matter of elefantegrass presented average values of dry matter (18.11%), crude protein (7.64%), neutral detergent fiber (71.01%) and acid detergent fiber (37.79%) during supplementation period. No significant interaction was observed between sources supplementation, animal type and evaluation period for average weight gain (ADG). On the average, the ADG of the steer calves (0.785kg day-1) were superior (P<.05) compared to heifer calves (0.676kg day-1). The evaluations via animal performance showed the inferiority (P<.05) of the source supplementation 0.5% of LW for ADG (0.558kg day-1) compared to the supplementation sources 0.75% of LW (0.727kg day-1), 1.0% of LW (0.786kg day-1) and 1.25% of LW (0.851kg day-1).
animal type; average daily weight gain; nutritional value forage; summer pasture
