Two experiments were conducted to evaluate different crude protein (CP) levels of a mixture of mineral and concentrate (multiple supplement) fed to crossbreed steers grazing Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça pasture during the transition between the dry and the rainy season. The multiple supplement contained ground corn and soybean grains and was formulated to yield 8.0, 16.0 or 24.0% of CP. Each animal received 1.0 kg of the multiple supplement per day or only ad libitum mineral mix (control treatment). In the first trial, 20 crossbred steers averaging 19 months of age and 339.4±14.8 kg of body weight were used. The average daily gain (ADG) increased linearly from 0.992 to 1.258 kg/d when the CP level of the supplement increased from 8.0 to 24%. Total weight gain also increased linearly by increasing the CP level of the supplement. Economical analysis of the supplements showed greater gross income for the supplement containing 24% CP. In the second trial, four crossbreed steers fitted with ruminal and esophageal cannulas and averaging 400 kg of body weight were used to investigate different CP levels of the supplements on ruminal pH and ruminal ammonia ruminal concentration. The different CP levels of the supplement did not significantly change ruminal pH. However, ruminal ammonia increased linearly from 8.41 to 12.2 mg/dL when the CP level of the supplement increased from 8.0 to 24%.
pH; protein supplementation; ruminal ammonia; sensitivity analysis
