Abstract

SIMON, L; HERNANDEZ, Kirenia  and  LOPEZ, O. Technical note: Productive performance of Holstein x Zebu males under silvopastoral system conditions. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2009, vol.32, n.2, pp.1-1. ISSN 0864-0394.

With the objective of characterizing the productive performance of double purpose Holstein x Zebu bulls, a trial was conducted for 288 days, in which 32 twelve-month-old yearlings were selected and randomly distributed in four groups of eight animals each, belonging to the genotypes: F1 (H x Z), crossbred Siboney, Siboney and Mambí, which grazed in a silvopastoral system constituted by Leucaena leucocephala and Panicum maximum cv. Likoni, divided into 10 paddocks. A stocking rate of three animals/ha was used, which were weighed monthly to determine the changes of live weight, gains and tick invasion. The DM availability and chemical composition of the pastureland were determined for the rainy and dry seasons. Significant differences were found in the weight gain; the values were: 0,691a; 0,472b; 0,363b and 0,370b for F1, crossbred Siboney, Siboney and Mambí, respectively. Similar response was obtained in tick count, where F1 turned out to be significantly lower than the others (3,83a; 7,63b; 8,18b and 8,63b for each genotype). According to the results, the best gains were obtained in F1, followed by crossbred Siboney, Siboney and Mambí. In addition, the lowest quantity of ticks was found in F1, linked to the lowest percentage of Holstein blood and the highest thickness of the skin, which can be an adequate characteristic to evaluate the resistance of cattle to tick invasion.

Keywords : Performance; bull; silvopastoral systems.

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