Evaluation of peanut hay (Arachis hypogaea) with grass silage and a protein-energy supplement for fattening bulls with different starting live weights.

The use of peanut hay, sorghum silage and a protein-energy supplement (MUSS-LACTIOBIOL) was evaluated in a starting bull fattening diet. Sixty animals were employed divided in two groups: treatments A and B with average starting live weights of 334 and 361 kg ± 7 kg and stabulated for 113 and 93 d, respectively. Animals were slaughtered at 430 ± 7 kg live weight. Diets consisted of the MUSSLACTIBIOL supplement supplied at a rate of 1.37 kg.d-1 per animal; 10.2 and 8.2 kg of sorghum silage and peanut hay, respectively in humid basis. They were adjusted in proportions (%) for both groups at: 11, 20 and 69 (dry basis) of the MUSS-LACTIBIOL supplement, sorghum silage and peanut hay, respectively. A simple classification design was employed with the previously mentioned treatments. A variance analysis was applied for the means of the productive indicators. Animals of lower initial LW gained more LW daily and at the end of the experiment those of higher initial LW consumed more DM, ME and CP and needed more of those nutrients for succeeding in gaining 1 kg LW. There was a direct negative relationship (R² = 0.89 P < 0.001) between the initial LW and daily gain. Data obtained demonstrated that with a supplement: fibrous feed relationship of 11:89 it is feasible gains close to 1 kg (0.976 and 0.829 kg.anim.d-1) where the peanut hay contributed 69 % of the DM and the CP, and 67 % of the ME, though there is the possibility of generating technologies of meat production with agricultural fibrous waste products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]