Effect of low-volume supplementation on productive performance during heifer rearing in the humid Argentina subtropics
To evaluate the impact of different low-volume supplements (LVS), 30 heifers with an initial live weight of 248.6 kg were assigned to three treatment groups: SAL Teknamix (a mineral supplement), BIOSAL Max (an energy-protein supplement), and MMN (INTA’s mineral mix). The animals were weighed every 2...
Guardado en:
| Autores principales: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| Publicado: |
Universidad Nacional del Nordeste
2025
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://revistas.unne.edu.ar/index.php/vet/article/view/8428 |
| Aporte de: |
| Sumario: | To evaluate the impact of different low-volume supplements (LVS), 30 heifers with an initial live weight of 248.6 kg were assigned to three treatment groups: SAL Teknamix (a mineral supplement), BIOSAL Max (an energy-protein supplement), and MMN (INTA’s mineral mix). The animals were weighed every 21 days, and variables such as live weight, body condition score, hip height, and thoracic circumference were recorded. Forage availability was limited, with crude protein (CP) content ranging from 7.9% to 14.1% and metabolizable energy (ME) between 2.5 and 2.6 MCal kg-1 of dry matter (DM). No significant differences in live weight gain were observed among treatments (p>0.05), however, significant differences were found among groups with different body sizes (p<0.01). Smaller animals showed a better response to supplementation with BIOSAL and MMN. Supplement intake was significantly higher compared to the SAL group (+274% for MMN and +509% for BIOSAL), although no significant differences were observed in feed conversion (p>0.05). In terms of growth, no differences were detected in hip height or thoracic circumference (p>0.05). However, body condition declined uniformly across all treatments, indicating inadequate nutritional support. The lack of response was likely attributable to unfavorable weather conditions, which may have hindered the full expression of the fortified mineral mixtures’ potential. Repeating the experiment under more favorable environmental conditions is recommended to properly assess their effects. |
|---|