<b>Agronomics aspects of hybrids of sorghum (<em>Sorghum bicolor</em> L. Moench) in the performance and economics of feedlot steers</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v30i1.3613

Abstract

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the sorghum hybrids AG2005E, AG60298 and BR101 as for the production of the plant and its silages in the performance and economics of steers in feedlot. The height of the plant, production of green matter and dry matter (DM) ha^-1 of BR101 was higher (p > 0.05) in relation to AG2005E and AG 60298. As for the percentage of DM in the grain, AG 2005E was greater (p = .0452) that the others. The percentage of green matter in the leaf showed differences (p = .0135), with the BR101 hybrid as the greatest and AG60298 the least. In the evaluation of the panicle, there was a difference in the percentage of DM (p = .0332) and green matter (p = .0332) for the hybrid AG2005E. The percentage of GM in the grain, DM and GM of the stem and MS of the leaf did not present statistical differences. For the evaluations of animal performance, 36 steers with an average age of 20 months were used, with an initial weight of 241.49 kg and confined for 63 days, then slaughtered with an average final weight of 379.48 kg. The animals fed with silage of BR101 sorghum and AG2005E got greater intake of DM and metabolic DM size. Hybrids AG2005E and AG60298 presented the best feed conversion. BR101 had the lowest production cost.