CONSUMPTION OF DRY MATTER IN ANIMALS IN CONFINEMENT REGIME IN SOUTHEASTERN PARÁ
Dry Matter, Dry Matter Consumption, Confinement
This study was carried out to describe the dry matter intake by finishing cattle in southeastern Pará and to evaluate the predictive capacity of the equations of the BR CORTE system. The experiment was carried out in a commercial feedlot located in the municipality of Curionopolis, Pará, Brazil. A total of 2,815 male Nellore and Nellore crossbred cattle were used, with an initial average weight of 400 kg. The CMS estimates predicted by the BR CORTE system were obtained according to the equations as a function of the genetic groups (zebu, dairy crosses and beef crosses). The observed dry matter intake data were based on daily trough readings, which were performed before the first treatment of the day was supplied. The data were analyzed graphically using the R software and performance metrics were calculated using the Model Evaluation System software. The average daily DMI observed for the animals was 11 kg/day, 7.3, 5.4 and 5.9% higher than the predictions of the BR CORTE 2016 system (10.20, 10.41 and 10.35 kg/d, from according to the equations for zebu, beef crossbreds and dairy crossbreds, respectively). It is concluded that the models of the BR cut system underestimate the dry matter intake for cattle under the conditions evaluated. At the beginning of the confinement, there was overestimation in the prediction and underestimation after consumption stabilization.