DESEMPENHO E CARACTERÍSTICAS DA CARCAÇA DE NOVILHAS ANGUS-NELORE EM SISTEMAS DE INTEGRAÇÃO PECUÁRIA FLORESTA

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and carcass characteristics of Angus-Nellore cross heifers finished with supplementation in livestock-forest integrated systems, with two trees eucalyptus densities (187 and 446 eucalyptus trees per hectare) and conventional system. Forty-eight crossbred Angus/Nellore heifers were used, with initial average weight of approximately 392 kg and average age of 18 months. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three treatments and four replicates. It was evaluated animal performance, ribeye area and fat thickness. No differences were found (P>0.05) between the treatments for the average daily gain and final live weight, in exception to weight gain per hectare that was lower in the system with 3 eucalyptus lines compared to the conventional system, which was not different from the integrated system with 1 eucalyptus line. The ribeye area and fat thickness were not influenced by treatments. It is concluded that the tree