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Blood metabolites and fecal starch as indicators of feed efficiency of beef cattle in the feedlot

ABSTRACT The use of blood metabolites (BM), fecal starch (FS), and apparent digestion of starch, (ATTSD) as indicators of feed efficiency (FE) in beef cattle in the feedlot was studied. Fourteen bulls were used, originating in an industrial cross, without a defined racial group, with mean body weight of 284.86kg, individually fed, being evaluated in a 42-day confinement system. After the evaluation, the animals were divided into two groups according to the individual FE: high feed efficiency (HE) and low feed efficiency (LE). There was a difference between the groups in the variables FE, feed conversion (FC), final weight (FW), and daily weight gain (DWG). The FE had a positive correlation with DWG, FC, and FW. There was no difference between the groups for the variables BM, FS, and ATTSD, nor was there any correlation between these variables and FE. Considering the feed cost, the HE animals proved more profitable. BM, FS, and ATTSD did not statistically show potential to be used as indicators of FE, despite the evidence of numerical differences of these variables between the different groups, tendency of correlations with FE, and discriminating function with potential assertiveness.