DESEMPENHO DE BORREGAS COM DIETA DE ALTO CONCENTRADO EM DOIS SISTEMAS DE TERMINAÇÃO

Abstract

The increasing professionalization of the sheep production chain has been considerable in recent years, and advancements in lamb finishing systems are essential for improving production viability. In light of this demand, the present study aimed to evaluate the productive efficiency of ewe lambs finished in confinement and semi-confinement systems, supplemented with a high-concentrate diet. The feed used was produced on the farm and included the main cereals and by-products from the region, along with some additives, namely, whole grain corn, soybean meal, vegetable oil, cane molasses, calcitic limestone, ammonium sulfate, and sodium bicarbonate. The experimental design involved twenty-four ewe lambs, divided into two groups: confined and semi-confined, which received a high-concentrate diet ad libitum over an average period of fifty-two days, the time necessary to reach the regional slaughter weight of 40±2 kg of live weight. At the end of the study, the systems showed no statistical difference in performance, with an average daily gain of 0.241 kg, indicating that when well-managed, both systems can yield good results. There were no changes in hematological parameters, affirming that animals adapt easily to high-concentrate diets if well-managed. Economically, both systems proved viable, but the semi-confined group achieved superior profitability compared to the confined group, due to the lower cost of pasture.