Performance, carcass traits, and meat attributes of steers finished on tropical pasture under increasing supplementation levels

Concentrate supplementation during the finishing phase in tropical pastures improves the average daily gain and carcass characteristics of the animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation level (% of body weight, BW) on intake, apparent digestibility, performance, carcass traits, and meat attributes of steers finished on tropical pasture during the dry season. Forty male, uncastrated Girolando steers, weighing 439.25 +/- 36.67 kg and aged 20 mo, were utilized. Treatments involved levels of concentrate supplementation: 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5% BW for steers finished on Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'Marandu' pasture over an 84-d period in the dry season. The DM intake from the supplement (9.00 to 7.49 kg d-1) and total digestible nutrients (5.99 to 7.29 kg d-1) linearly increased (P < 0.05) with the rising level of concentrate supplementation. The average daily gain of the steers (0.44 kg d-1) remained unaffected (P > 0.05) by the increasing levels of concentrate supplementation. Hot carcass weight (228.62 to 257.20 kg) and yield increased linearly (P < 0.05) with the levels of concentrate supplement. The 0.3% BW level of supplement resulted in carcasses with a thicker (P < 0.05) backfat layer (4.75 mm). Protein and cholesterol contents in the steers' meat were not influenced (P > 0.05) by the level of concentrate supplementation. In conclusion, we recommend a concentrate supplementation level of 0.5% BW for steers finished on pasture during the dry season.