Objective:

To evaluate the effect of supplementation with concentrate feeds of meal from protein plants on bull fattening on natural pastures.

Material and Methods:

One hundred crossbred bullocks (1/4 Holstein x 3/4 Zebu and 5/8 Holstein x 3/8 Zebu) were used, distributed in a complete randomized design. Two treatments were established. A) grazing on natural pastures plus supplementation with a concentrate feed formulated with meal from the protein plants Morus alba L. and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray and B) grazing on natural pastures plus supplementation with a concentrate feed formulated with Glycine max (L.) Merr. Each treatment had grazing divided into two paddocks and an area of 36,84 and 53,0 ha, respectively, with rotation time of 15 days. The prevailing pastures in the pastureland were Paspalum notatum Alain ex Flügé and Dichanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf. The initial stocking rate was 1,1 animals/ha (0,46 LAU/ha).

Results:

No significant differences were found for the live weight and daily weight gain in the 10 months the research lasted. The animals were slaughtered at 10 months, with live weight of 379-380 and 380-383 kg for the crossbred R1 (1/4 Holstein x 3/4 Zebu) and Siboney (5/8 Holstein x 3/8 Zebu) animals in treatments A and B, respectively. The average daily live weight gains were 0,454-0497 and 0,510-0,467 in the dry season and 0,65-0,636 and 0,59-0,489 kg/animal/d in the rainy season in treatments A and B, in the crossbred animals R1 and Siboney, respectively.

Conclusions:

The utilization of concentrate feed formulated with the inclusion of meal from M. alba and T. diversifolia allowed live weight gains in fattening bullocks similar to the animals supplemented with concentrate feed based on soybean meal and the costs were more economical for Cuba than when G. max was used.

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