Influência da suplementação em cocho privativo sobre o desempenho pós-desmama de bezerros Nelore

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of “creep feeding’ on post-weaning performance traits of Nelore bulls. The experiment was carried out at the Estacao Experimental de Zootecnia de Sertaozinho, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The sample was composed of 245 animals born from 1983 to 1986. They were allotted into 2 treatments: creep feed” (C.P.) and “pasture” (P.). They entered the feedlot at weaning (210 days) being C.P. group 13.2 kg (6.7%) heavier than P. At the end of the confinement period, at 383 days old, there was an advantage of 7.4kg (2.5%) in favor of the C.P. group. After the feedlot period a sample of animals from each treatment remained in pasture until 550 days old. There was no difference between treatments for the 550 days corrected final weight (P550) and daily gains under range conditions.