Abstract

VEGA BRITEZ, Gustavo Daniel et al. Fifth quarter performance in lambs finished on tropical pastures with or without concentrate supplementation. Cienc. Tecnol. Agropecuaria [online]. 2022, vol.23, n.1, e2229.  Epub Dec 31, 2021. ISSN 0122-8706.  https://doi.org/10.21930/rcta.vol23_num1_art:2229.

The objective of the present investigation was to verify the effect of different levels of concentrate supplementation (0 %, 1.5 %, 3.0 % in relation to live weight) and two forage species such as Megathyrsus maximus cv. Aruana and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu in fifth quarter performance in Suffolk lambs. In total, 36 entire male lambs were distributed in 12 pickets of 32 m × 32 m. The animals received salt and water ad libitum during the experiment and the concentrated ration offered daily at 08:00 AM. Body condition score of 2.5 to 3.0 was used as parameters for slaughter. The design was completely randomized in a 3 × 2 factorial scheme (three levels of supplementation and two types of pasture). Empty body weight (EBW), dry matter intake (DMI), daily weight gain (DWG), fifth quarter components (FQC), gastrointestinal tract and red, white and green viscera were evaluated. EBW, DMI, DWG and FQC were influenced (P < 0.05) by the levels of concentrated supplementation and types of pastures, lower for animals without supplementation in Marandu pasture. Likewise, head, foot, blood, heart, liver, kidney, red viscera, omental and internal fat were lower (P < 0.05) in animals without supplementation. Rumen reticulum (full and empty) and white viscera (full and empty) independent of the level of supplementation and types of pasture. The non-concentrated supplementation causes less development of the main vital organs of the lamb, even more in Marandu pasture.

Keywords : Brachiaria brizantha; animal carcass; feed consumption; Megathyrsus maximus; sheep; forage species; rumen.

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