Imunocastração associada ao tipo de armazenamento da silagem de milho para vacas terminadas em confinamento

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of immunocastration during the finishing of cull cows fed corn silage from different silage methods. Forty cows unfit for reproduction were used, Nellore and Charolais X Nellore crosses, with average age and initial weight of five years and 400,17±14,55 kg, respectively. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with a factorial arrangement (2x2), with the study factors being: storage method and physiological stage, with ten replications. The means, when differences were verified, were compared by the Tukey test. The interaction between storage method and physiological stage was unfolded when significant at 5% probability. Productive performance evaluations showed that there was no statistical difference between treatments for the evaluated variables (P>0.05). The average daily gain of cull cows was not influenced by the physiological stage associated with the silage storage method, with an average daily gain of 1.098 kg/day during confinement. The silage storage method (MAS) associated with the physiological stage (EF) did not influence the carcass characteristics of cull cows. The EF and the MAS did not influence the variables constituting the tissue composition of the carcass (P>0.05). Under finishing cull cows in confinement, it is concluded that the immunocastration of females and the different methods of storing corn silage do not promote an increase in animal response, for performance and carcass metric characteristics.