The objective was to evaluate the body composition and net requirements of the macro minerals calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) for weight gain in 5/8 crossbreed Holstein-Zebu cattle maintained in pasture Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. Sixteen animals were used with 10 month of age and 180 ± 19.95 kg BW. The treatments were open access to pasture and restricted grazing, both supplemented with commercial mineral salt. Four animals slaughtered in the beginning of the experiment to serve as reference for the estimation of empty body weight (EBWi) and initial body composition of the remaining animals. The others animals were slaughtered at 84 days of the experimental period. Regressions equation of the logarithm of Ca, P, Mg, and K of body content were fitted in function of the logarithm of EBW for each treatment. By deriving these equations Ca, P, Mg, K liquid requirements for gain for 1 kg EBW (GEBW) were estimated. The estimated macro minerals net requirements (Ca, P, K, Mg) decreased as body weight increased. The net Ca, P, K and Mg requirements differed from the British and American nutritional requirements systems.
Brachiaria decumbens; crossbreed; dairy cattle; mineral requirements
