The experiment was conducted to evaluate the use of sugar cane at two concentrate levels as a replacement for sorghum silage in the diet of crossbred young bulls in feedlot. Thirty-six young crossbred males were maintained in individual stalls in a randomized complete experimental design with three diets: sorghum silage with 1.0% of the live weight (LW) in concentrate, sugar cane with concentrate (1.0% LW) and sugar cane with concentrate (1.2% LW). The diets were calculated to have approximately 12% crude protein. The diets did not cause differences in the dressing percentage, feed conversion and bone, muscle and fat percentage. The daily gains and bio-nutritional index were higher for the animals fed with sorghum silage (1.70 kg and 13.12, respectively). The final weight and ingestions of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and total digestible nutrients were higher for the animals fed sorghum silage. The replacement of sorghum silage with sugar cane reduce the animal performance, even when a higher level of concentrate is supplied in the diet.
backfat thickness; daily weight gain; feed conversion; intake; ruminant
