Productive performance of Nelore x Limousin bulls receiving diets containing integral germ corn

Abstract

The present research was developed to evaluate the nutritional intake and productive performance of feedlot finishing Nelore x Limousin young bulls receiving diets containing 0; 15; 30 and 45% of integral germ corn (IGC) in dry matter, with roughage: concetraded ration of 25:75. Twenty-four Nelore x Limousin bulls were used, distributed in four treatments and six replicates, in completely randomized design. The animals presented average initial weight of 321,25 kg and 20 months of age. The variables evaluated were: the intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent  fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemicellulosis (HEM), non fiber  carbohydrates (NFC), and ether extract (EE). As performance parameters were evaluated total weight gain (TWG), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion (FC). Effects of additions of ICG were not observed on the intake of DM. Therefore, the inclusion of IGC provided increase in the CP, NDF, ADF, HEM and EE intakes.  For each 1% of inclusion provided there was an increase of 4; 20; 9; 11 and 8 g, a day in the CP, NDF, ADF, HEM and EE intake, respectively. The NFC intake was reduced with the increase of the IGC levels in the diets. TWG and ADG were add up to 636 g and 10g day-1,  respectively, for each addition of 1% of IGC in the diets, however, no effect on FC was observed, presenting average of 4,49. IGC can be including in up to 45% in the diet of feedlot finishing bulls, receiving diets with 75% of concentrate.