Suplementação Proteíca com Aditivo Fitogênico para Novilhos Nelore em Pastejo: Comportamento, Saúde e Desempenho

Abstract

In intensive pasture-based beef production systems, forage characteristics must be taken into account to strategically plan supplement usage to meet nutritional requirements that pasture alone cannot fulfill. By dividing the year into four seasons: dry, dry-to-wet transition, wet, and wet-to-dry transition, it is possible to plan the use of supplements to supply nutrients that will be deficient in each period. The use of protein supplements can yield additional gains of 200-300g per animal, making it an option to meet nitrogen demands that are limiting in most tropical pastures. In addition to supplements, the use of nutritional technologies such as additives is necessary for maximizing the utilization of diet components. The need to reduce antibiotic use to avoid potential microbial resistance has led to the emergence of new alternatives such as phytogenic additives, which are products based on oils and plant extracts. The mechanism of action of phytogenic additives is still poorly understood; however, it is believed that they act by binding to bacterial cells, mainly gram-positive bacteria. Among these additives, Digestarom stands out as a phytogenic that contributes to increased weight gain and nutritional health of animals, demonstrating potential for use in supplementing pasture-based beef cattle.