STUDIES ON THE NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF KOREAN NATIVE CATTLE I. EFFECT OF ENERGY LEVELS ON PERFORMANCE AND ENERGY INTAKE OF GROWING AND FINISHING KOREAN NATIVE CATTLE

Growing and finishing Korean native bulls were used to investigate the effects of different dietary energy levels on performance and energy intake. Experimental observations were made over three weight categories (200 to 250 kg, 250 to 350 kg and 350 to 450 kg). Three diets (2.4, 2.6 and 2.8 Mcal ME/kg DM) were used for each weight category. Crude protein levels of the diets were 12, 11 and 10% for the respective weight groups. Dietary energy level did not significantly affect daily body gain within a weight range but daily body gain during the entire experiment was higher (P<.05) in bulls receiving 2.6 Mcal energy diet than in those fed 2.4 and 2.8 Mcal energy diets. The following equation was developed to predict daily body gain(Y) from energy levels(X) of ration. $Y\;=\;1.3.475X\;-\;2.5949X^{2}\;-\;16.355$ Increasing energy levels significantly (P<.05) decreased daily feed intake. The following equation was developed to predict daily feed intake(Y) from energy levels(X) of ration. $Y\;=\;-30.013X\;+\;5.4401X^{2}\;+\;49.119$ Feed intake per metabolic body size during the entire feeding period ranged from 100.9 to 110.8 g and was lower in bulls fed 2.6 and 2.8 Mcal energy diets than in those fed 2.4 Mcal energy diet. Increasing energy levels significantly (P<.05) improved feed efficiency. The following equation was developed to predict feed efficiency(Y) from energy levels(X) of ration. $Y\;=\;-118.34X\;+\;22.448X^{2}\;+\;162.85$ Daily energy intake during the entire experiment ranged from 18.90 to 19.99 Mcal and there was no significant difference among energy levels. Daily energy intake per metabolic body size during the feeding period ranged from 248.6 to 260.8 kcal and was slightly higher in bulls receiving 2.8 Mcal than in those fed 2.4 and 2.6 Mcal energy diets. Energy required per kg body gain ranged from 17.25 to 19.11 Mcal and was slightly lower in bulls receiving 2.6 Mcal energy diet than in those fed 2.4 and 2.8 Mcal energy diets.