Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of using homeopathic products combined with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on the performance of Pantaneira heifers in a rotational grazing system on Mombaça grass (Megathyrsus maximus) in the Pantanal biome during the spring season. The treatments analyzed were Control (CTL) and Homeopathic combined with Yeast (HY). A total of 20 animals were randomly allocated, with 10 heifers in each treatment group. Animal performance was evaluated through forage and supplement intake, diet digestibility, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. The experimental design was completely randomized, and the means were compared using Tukey and Duncan tests at a 5% probability level. No significant effects were identified between the treatments on total feed intake, expressed in kg/day, metabolic weight, and percentage of body weight (P ≥ 0.05), concentrate and grass intake (P ≥ 0.05), neutral detergent fiber intake (P ≥ 0.05), final body weights, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio (P ≥ 0.05). However, it was observed that heifers in the HY treatment showed significantly higher digestibility rates of dry matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber (P ≤ 0.05), as well as higher digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrates, ether extract, and mineral matter (P ≤ 0.05), although the levels of Total Digestible Nutrients and Digestible Energy were similar to the CTL treatment (P ≥ 0.05). It is concluded that the combination of homeopathy and yeast provided better utilization of the fibrous components of the diet by the animals.