The objective of this study was to economically evaluate feedlot finished steers and young steers from two genetic groups: 5/8Charolais (CH) 3/8Nellore (NE) and 5/8NE 3/8CH. The average age of animals at the end of the experimental period was 22.8 and 15.2 months for steers and young steers, respectively. Animals were maintained in the feedlot until reach the previously established slaughter weight of 430 kg. Animals were fed a diet containing a forage:concentrate ratio of 60:40 with the following chemical composition: 10.25% crude protein and 3.18 Mcal of digestible energy/kg of dry matter. Economical evaluation was performed as follows: FW - period spent for young steers to reach final body weight similar to steers and FBCS - period spent for young steers to reach final body condition score (FBCS) similar to steers. Variables responsible for most of the total production cost of one hectare of corn silage were: crop fertilizer (23.27%), nitrogen fertilizer (16.05%), seeds (11.56%), insecticide (9.97%), post-emergent herbicide (9.40%), and canvas (6.85%). Of the total estimated cost of the diet, forage represented 23.75% and concentrate 76.25%. The cost per kg of weight gain was similar between steers and young steers FW (R$ 1.29/kg) and greater than young steers FBCS (R$ 1.18/kg). Total and monthly profitabilities were, respectively, 25.79 and 4.19% for steers and 26.19 and 2.68% for young steers (FW) and 28.11 and 3.60% for young steers (FBCS) showing that reduction of the feeding period of feedlot beef steers increases profitability. Among genetic groups, 5/8CH 3/8NE animals showed higher total net income as well as total and monthly profitabilities compared to 5/8NE 3/8CH.
Charolais; crossbreeding; feeding cost; feedlot cost; Nellore; production cost; slaughter age
