Cattle of Colombian creole breed Chino Santandereano in the raising phase were subjected to stabling for 100 days in order to determine the productive, nutritional, and metabolic capacity when exposed to different degrees of protein-energy supplementation. Sixteen whole males with an initial mean weight of 377.69 ± 16.55 kg were used in completely randomized delineation with four treatments and four repetitions per treatment, as follows: UNS, not supplemented; low, supplemented with amounts relative to 0.5% of body weight; medium, supplemented with amounts relative to 1.0% of the live weight; and high, supplemented with amounts relative to 1.5% of body weight. At the end of each experimental period, the animals were weighed, and samples of feed, feces, blood, and urine were collected to determine the performance, consumption, and digestibility of the nutritional components, and nitrogen balance. In the greater performance, consumption, and digestibility of DM, OM, C-NFCP, EE, and NFC, the concentration of ureic nitrogen in blood and urine (P <0.05) was observed in supplemented animals when contrasted with UNS. Bovine Chinese Santandereano presents high productive, nutritional, and metabolic potential as a response to high levels of protein-energy supplementation.
Keywords: Colombian creole breeds; Consumption; Digestibility; Nitrogen; Protein; Weight gain.