CAPES / O trabalho foi desenvolvido na Fazenda Modelo do Instituto Agronômico do Paraná (IAPAR) no município de Ponta Grossa, entre o período de Junho de 2011 a Março de 2012. Com o objetivo de avaliar os sistemas de desmame precoce e da amamentação controlada sobre o desempenho de vacas e bezerros durante o período reprodutivo, foram utilizadas 161 vacas mestiças Purunã e seus respectivos bezerros, distribuídos em três grupos: Desmame precoce (DP), foi realizado através do desmame dos bezerros com média de 75 dias de idade; o grupo Amamentação Controlada (AC), as vacas foram separadas de seus bezerros e colocadas a amamentar apenas uma vez ao dia durante o período da estação de monta; o terceiro grupo era do Desmame convencional (DC), em que as vacas mantiveram seus bezerros em aleitamento durante todo do tempo, sem alguma interferência no manejo durante todo o período de avaliação. As vacas de todos os grupos pariram em condição corporal acima de 3,3 pontos (escala de 1 a 5), não apresentando diferença na taxa de prenhez, sendo 90% para as vacas do DC; 96% para as vacas da AC e 97% para as vacas do DP. Quando em boas condições ao parto a utilização do desmame precoce e da amamentação controlada não trazem benefícios produtivos, podendo o desmame precoce provocar queda na eficiência reprodutiva do plantel de cria devido ao peso do bezerro ser 19,6% menor em relação ao desmame convencional. Os bezerros submetidos ao DP apresentaram menor (P<0,05) ganho de peso diário (0,56 kg) durante o período experimental em relação ao grupo AC e DC (0,95 kg e 0,88 kg, respectivamente) os quais não diferiram entre si (P<0,05). O manejo da amamentação controlada não provoca efeito no desempenho dos bezerros, podendo ser desmamados com peso similar aos bezerros mantidos ao pé da vaca. A categoria das vacas (Jovens, Adultas e Velhas) não apresentou interação com o sistema de desmame. Observou-se que Vacas jovens, são mais leves (P<0,05) ao parto e ao desmame de seus bezerros (383,89 e 399,40 kg, respectivamente) em relação às vacas adultas (444,07 e 451,92 kg) e velhas (452,35 e 470,49 kg). Desta forma as Novilhas acasaladas aos dois anos paridas em boas condições nutricionais apresentam a mesma eficiência reprodutiva que vacas adultas (47,64 e 48,35 kg de bezerro ao desmame/100 kg de vaca, respectivamente), ao passo que vacas velhas apresentam a menor eficiência reprodutiva no plantel de cria (42,99 kg de bezerro/100kg de vaca). O menor peso ao desmame de bezerros filhos de vacas primíparas e velhas é devido ao menor peso desde o nascimento até os 150 dias de idade, não havendo diferença no desempenho a partir deste período. / The study was developed at Fazenda Modelo an Experimental Estation belonged to the Insituto Agronômico do Paraná (IAPAR) in the city of Ponta Grossa, Pr, in the period from June 2011 to March 2012. Aiming to evaluate the systems of early weaning and controlled nursing about the performance of cows and calves during the breeding season, 161 crossbred Purunã cows and their calves were used and the were divided into three groups: Early weaning (DP), which was fulfilled weaning of calves with the average age of 75 days; the group of controlled nursing (AC), the cows were separated from their calves and placed to breastfeed only once a day during the breeding season; and the third group was the conventional weaning (DC), which the cows kept their calves together during the whole time without any interference in the management, with definitive weaning at seven months. Cows from all groups calved in body condition score above 3.7 points (scale from 1 to 5), with no significant difference in the pregnancy rate, 90% for cows in DC, 96% for cows for AC and 97% for cows of early Weaning. When in good condition at calving the use of early weaning or controlled nursing do not bring productive benefitis, early weaning can cause decline in reproductive efficiency of the breeding herd because of the weight of the calf to be 19.6% lower compared to conventional weaning. Calves subjected to the DP showed a lower overage (P <0.05) daily weight gain (0.56 kg) during the experimental period compared to the group at the AC and DC (0.95 kg and 0.88 kg, respectively) which did not differ from each other (P <0.05). The management of controlled nursing causes no effect on the performance of calves, that can be weaned with similar weight to calves maintained together the cow. As the cow category (Young, Adult and Old) showed no interaction with the system weaning, they were discussed independently. It was observed that young cows are lighter (P <0.05) at calving and weaning of their calves (383.89 and 399.40 kg, respectively) compared to mature cows (444.07 and 451.92 kg) and old (452.35 and 470.49 kg). Therefore, the Heifers bred at two years old, that calve in good nutritional conditions have the same reproductive efficiency that adult cows (47.64 and 48.35 kg of weaning calf to 100 kg/cow, respectively), while the old cows show lower reproductive efficiency in a breeding herd (42.99 kg of calf per 100kg/cow). The lower weaning weight of calves born from primiparous and old is because of the lower weight and performance since the birth to 150 days of age, with no difference in performance after this period.

An experiment was conducted using forty-one Bonsmara steers (age ± 7 months) to determine the effect of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics. The trial was structured using a completely randomized design with two treatments, control and ZH group. The steers were fed ZH for 28 consecutive days at the end of the finishing period and ZH was withdrawn from the diet 2 days prior to slaughter of the animals. The steers were placed in individual pens and weighed fortnightly throughout the 4 months trial. Zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) was included in the diet at a rate of 8.3 mg/kg of DM. Feeding of ZH increased (P< 0.05) body weight (BW) gain and ADG (1.102 vs. 1.444) and tended to increase (P = 0.067) feed efficiency (F:G) during the last month of the finishing period. There were no significant differences (P> 0.05) in daily dry matter intakes (DMI). For the control group, high treatment weight gains were significantly associated with high initial weight (r = 0.424, P = 0.049) and also high pre-treatment body weight (r = 0.678, P= 0.001). Treatment weight gain increased as the initial and pre-treatment weight gain increased in the control group. For the steers that were fed ZH, there was no significant correlation between the treatment body weight gain with initial weight (r = 0.097, P = 0.694) and also pre- treatment live weight (r = 0.393, P = 0.096). Supplementation of ZH significantly increased (P < 0.0001) the dressing percentage (56.4% vs. 58.4%) and had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the carcass weight. The outcome of the study suggest that supplementation of ZH in the diet during the last month of the finishing period enhances growth performance and shows the repartitioning capacity of the feed additive as a beta- agonist. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture (Animal Science)

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 N44 / Master of Science / Agricultural Economics

An experiment was conducted using forty-one Bonsmara steers (age ± 7 months) to determine the effect of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics. The trial was structured using a completely randomized design with two treatments, control and ZH group. The steers were fed ZH for 28 consecutive days at the end of the finishing period and ZH was withdrawn from the diet 2 days prior to slaughter of the animals. The steers were placed in individual pens and weighed fortnightly throughout the 4 months trial. Zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) was included in the diet at a rate of 8.3 mg/kg of DM. Feeding of ZH increased (P< 0.05) body weight (BW) gain and ADG (1.102 vs. 1.444) and tended to increase (P = 0.067) feed efficiency (F:G) during the last month of the finishing period. There were no significant differences (P> 0.05) in daily dry matter intakes (DMI). For the control group, high treatment weight gains were significantly associated with high initial weight (r = 0.424, P = 0.049) and also high pre-treatment body weight (r = 0.678, P= 0.001). Treatment weight gain increased as the initial and pre-treatment weight gain increased in the control group. For the steers that were fed ZH, there was no significant correlation between the treatment body weight gain with initial weight (r = 0.097, P = 0.694) and also pre- treatment live weight (r = 0.393, P = 0.096). Supplementation of ZH significantly increased (P < 0.0001) the dressing percentage (56.4% vs. 58.4%) and had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the carcass weight. The outcome of the study suggest that supplementation of ZH in the diet during the last month of the finishing period enhances growth performance and shows the repartitioning capacity of the feed additive as a beta- agonist. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture (Animal Science)

Text in English / Cow size influences biological efficiency of individual animals, which influences herd composition and stock flow. This in turn influences the economic efficiency of the herd. This research followed the thread from animal size, to biological efficiency, to economic efficiency for beef cattle production under a typical production system in semi-arid South Africa. Cattle were grouped into three groups namely small, medium and large cattle, with mature weights of 300kg, 450kg and 600kg respectively. The net energy requirements of individual cattle were calculated for maintenance, growth, lactation and foetal production, for each of the three sizes. Growth rates, milk yield, reproduction rates, and management practices were assumed from existing research. Next the stock flow for a herd of small, medium and large cattle were calculated from the above. Income and expenses as commonly used in the research area were calculated from the stock flow. Gross profit above allocated costs were subsequently calculated for the three herds under the above-mentioned conditions. When assuming similar reproduction and growth rates for small, medium and large mature cattle, the following results were obtained: more heads of small cattle could be held on a set resource base, but the total live weight of a herd of large cattle that could be held on the same resource base was greater. This was mostly due to proportionately lower maintenance energy requirements in the herd of large cattle. In the simulation in this study, maintenance energy requirements for the herd of large cattle was 71.2%, compared to 72.0% for the herd of medium cattle and 73.1% for the herd of small cattle. Income from the herd of small cattle was the lowest, as less kilograms of beef were available to sell. Allocated costs for the herd of small cattle were the highest, due to a large number of expenses being charged per head of cattle. As a result, the herd of large cattle were more economically efficient than their smaller counterparts. Income above allocated costs for the herds of large, medium and small cattle were R1,182,865, R1,085,116 and R946,012 respectively. Larger cattle generally have a lower reproduction rate under similar conditions. No equation exists that directly links size to reproduction rates, especially considering the vast number of variables that influences reproduction rates. However, in the form of scenarios, it could be calculated that, given a reproduction rate of 80% for mature small cattle, when reproduction rates of large cattle were 24.7% lower than that of small cattle and the reproduction rates of medium cattle were 15.4% lower than that of small cattle, the large and medium herds became less profitable than the small herd. Smaller cattle mature faster than larger cattle which provides the opportunity for early breeding. When small cattle were bred early, at 15 months, at a calving rate of only 44.5% it was more profitable than when the same cows were bred at 24 months. When medium cattle were bred at 15 months, a calving rate of 37.0% was needed to be more profitable than when they were bred at 24 months. Even when the herd of small cattle were bred at 15 months with a reproduction rate of 100%, it could still not match the profitability of the herd of large cattle bred at 24 months given the reproduction rates of all other classes of animals were similar. When the herd of medium cattle were bred at 15 months, at a calving rate of 53.7%, it matched the profit of the herd of large cattle that were bred at 24 months, when the reproduction rates of other classes were equal. Scenarios were considered were feed intake was limited. When feed was limited to a specific amount, smaller cattle were more biologically efficient and cattle with potential for small mature sizes would grow to a larger size than cattle with potential for medium and large mature sizes. When feed was limited by a factor of the calculated energy requirements of small, medium and large cattle, large cattle were more effective. This is because large cattle use proportionately less energy for maintenance, which allows more energy to be allocated to growth, lactation and foetal production. When energy was limited to an amount per unit of metabolic weight, small cattle were more efficient than medium and larger cattle in the growth and production phases. Small, medium and large cattle were equally efficient (or inefficient) in the maintenance and lactation phases. Energy requirements of cattle in South Africa are commonly calculated using the Large Stock Unit (LSU). The LSU typically overestimates energy requirements for cattle, except in the lactation phase. When using the LSU to match small, medium or large cattle to a resource base, the LSU overestimates energy requirements of large cattle proportionately more than that of small and medium cattle. This is excluding the lactation phase, where energy requirements for all three sizes are underestimated and that of large cattle underestimated proportionately more. There are more considerations when matching cow size to managerial practices. A smaller body size is a natural adaptation to a semi-arid environment and this adaptation can be expressed in different ways. The number of animals on a resource base has implications on management practices. Having more heads of cattle on a resource base increases genetic variation of the herd, allowing for genetic progress to be made faster than in herd of fewer cattle. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M.Sc. (Agriculture)