O USO DE SUPLEMENTAÇÃO VITAMÍNICA À BASE DE BUTAFOSFAN E CIANOCOBALAMINA EM NOVILHAS DE CORTE CONFINADAS

Brazilian beef cattle farming is constantly seeking to improve nutritional strategies that enhance productive performance and profitability, especially in confinement systems. The use of vitamin supplementation with Catofós B12, a compound of organic phosphorus and vitamin B12, has emerged as an alternative to supply mineral deficiencies that affect the energy metabolism of cattle. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of this supplementation on average daily gain (ADG), carcass weight, carcass yield and economic viability in confined heifers. The methodology included dividing 44 Nellore heifers into two groups of 22 animals, one control group and the other supplemented, both subjected to the same management and diet protocol, with weighing and zootechnical and financial evaluations performed at three moments over 60 days. Although supplementation did not promote significant differences in ADG and carcass yield between the groups, the supplemented group showed a slight economic advantage, with lower dry matter consumption cost and higher profit per animal and per lot. Catofós B12 can be an economically viable alternative in confinement systems, providing a small additional profit margin, but caution is recommended when deciding whether to use it, based on the financial profile of the operation and the producer’s objectives.