Beef heifers performance in ryegrass pasture supplemented with rice bran with or without monensin

ABSTRACT The experiment was carried out with the objective of evaluating beef cattle heifer performance when exclusively grazing Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) pasture or supplemented with whole rice bran (WRB), equivalent to 0.8% of body weight, associated or not with monensin. The grazing method was “put-and-take” stocking, in a completely randomized experimental design, with replicated measures over time, with three treatments and three replications of area. The use of WRB, associated or not with monensin, did not affect heifers’ pelvic area, stocking rate and area weight gain. Animals fed WRB, with or without monensin, showed greater average daily gain, body weight, body condition score, and body weight:height ratio. Energetic supplementation for beef heifers is one viable option in production systems seeking age reduction at the first mating.