Desempeño productivo y comportamiento ingestivo de terneros recibiendo diferente manejo alimenticio en un sistema doble propósito, departamento de Sucre, Colombia

The objective was to evaluate the productive performance and feeding behavior of lactating calves receiving different types of feeding handling in a dual purpose system of Sucre. Thirty four calves, product of Gyr, Zebu, Holstein and Brown Swiss crossing were used in different proportions. Initially, twenty calves of 20 days old and 39.4 kg (± 7.8) of body weight and fourteen calves of 112 days old and 66.5 kg (± 9.8) of body weight were randomly selected. The treatments T1 (Eight hours a day with the cow + Rotational grazing + Supplement (0.5% BW) + Mineral mix, 4% phosphorus) and T2 (Eight hours a day with the cow + Rotational grazing + Mineral mix, 4% phosphorus) were applied in young animals, and T3 (Residual milk + Rotational grazing + Supplement (0.5% BW) + Mineral mix, 4% phosphorus) and T4 (Residual milk + Rotational grazing + Mineral mix, 4% phosphorus) in old animals. When the calves of T1 and T2 treatments complete four months of age received the T3 and T4 treatments. All animals grazed in the same pasture, which were divided in seven paddocks, with predominance of Tanzania Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) and Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum), managed under rotational grazing system. The concentrate was prepared considering the nutritional value of the grass. Average daily gain, total weight gain and ingestive behavior (eating behavior) were evaluated variables. In young calves (< 4 months) the concentrate not affected (P = 0.211) daily weight gain (0,230 vs 0,275 kg/day, for T1 and T2, respectively), in contrast to calves older than 4 months (0,153 vs 0,262 kg / day, T3 and T4, respectively), where concentrate supplementation resulted in greater weight gain (P=0.04). Grazing time showed significant difference between T1 and T2 (P 0.05). Walking and resting standing time were different in older calves (P 0.05) among treatments for rumination time, water consumption, suckling time, resting and consuming salt. In conclusion, the response of calves to concentrate supplementation (0.5% of body weight) in the evaluated system produces better results when applied after four months of age.