Desempenho zootécnico e econômico de bovinos confinados de diferentes raças: raças de predominância zebuína e taurina – relato de caso DE DIFERENTES RAÇAS: RAÇAS DE PREDOMINÂCIA ZEBUINA E TAURINA – RELATO DE CASO

Abstract

This study aimed to compare predominantly zebu breeds (Bos Indicus) and F1 half-blood breeds (Bos Taurus) in a confinement system with a diet consisting of corn grain, wet corn grain (rehydrated), mineral nucleus, Brachiaria silage and pressed cottonseed cake. The motivation for this study arose due to the genetic diversity and characteristics that drive production in intensive systems, such as confinement. The comparison between breeds representing distinct genetic predominances: Nelore (Box 27) and F1 half-blood Angus (Box 30) makes it impossible to be uncertain about which breed will be superior in terms of zootechnical performance and economic efficiency with the environmental characteristics of the place where the study was conducted. The zootechnical and economic results were observed based on criteria such as average daily weight gain (ADG), carcass yield, biological efficiency, operational cost and return on investment. Box 30, composed of taurine breeds, presented a higher average daily weight gain (1.86 kg/day), while Box 27, with Nellore, stood out for its better biological efficiency, observing a lower dry matter intake of 11.55 kg per arroba produced when compared to F1 half-blood Angus, obtaining better economic results, lower operating costs (R$ 17.37/head/day) and higher return on investment (23.98%). This study highlights how genetics directly influences productive and economic performance in confinement systems, offering a contribution to strategic decisions in beef cattle farming in regions that favor better suitability for the breed used.