To evaluate the performance of Nellore heifers supplemented with sunflower cake in partial substitution of soybean meal at 0; 20; 40 and 60% 24 animals were used during the dry season in a randomized design. The animals were weighed and monitored for body condition (BC) every 21 days. The inclusion of sunflower cake improved the average daily gain in 45.8%. The efficiency of the use of concentrated supplements was higher for supplements containing sunflower cake with values of 12.26; 13.42 and 9.87kg/kg for the replacement levels of 20; 40 and 60%. The supplement without sunflower cake had efficiencies of 7.31kg/kg. The BC of animals has improved with the supplementation, of 3.6; 4.0; 4.0 and 3.7 points, for replacement levels of 00; 20; 40 and 60%. For carcass characteristics there was no significant differences between the levels of substitution studied to slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, cooling losses, carcass yield, carcass length, back, front, yield estimated grade, Brazilian commercial cuts, AOL/100kg, fat thickness, liver. There was effect for replacement of sunflower cake just for the accumulation of perirenal pelvic fat, where the replacement level of 60% had the highest value (3.67 kilograms). Partial substitution of soybean meal by sunflower cake improved the performance of heifers finished on pastures without changing the characteristics of the carcass.
by-product; daily gain; fat thickness; supplementation; yield estimated grade