This study was conducted to evaluate protein sources in supplements for bulls grazing Brachiaria decumbens Stap., in the dry-rainy transition season, regarding nutritional characteristics. Four Holstein x Zebu bulls (300kg of body weight - BW) fitted with esophageal, ruminal, and abomasal cannulas, allotted in a latin square experimental design 4x4. The treatments were protein supplements with 38% of crude protein (CP) based on grounded corn grain + urea (GCU); grounded corn grain + soybean meal (GCSB); and cotton seed meal (38% CP) (CSM), supplied at a level of 0.17% BW, and a mineral mix control treatment (MM). The animals fed diets of GCU treatment showed neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake of 12.1g/kg of BW, 19.9% greater than the observed on animals fed diets of MM and GCSB, 10.2 g/kg of BW, and similar to the NDF intake found for animals fed CSM treatment, 11.0g/kg of BW. The dry matter (DM) total apparent digestibility (TAD) was higher for GCU and GCSB treatments. The ruminal pH, microbial nitrogen production (MNP), and microbial synthesis efficiency (MSE) were not influenced by the treatments. The supplementation with corn and urea provides greater DM intake and digestibility when compared to the mineral mix.
digestibility; intake; ruminal ammonia; supplementation; urea
