Does supplementation influence the performance of grazing cow-calf beef cattle?

The economic performance of cow-calf systems depends on optimizing indicators such as kilograms of weaned calf per cow exposed. In tropical systems, the low quality of pastures intensifies the negative energy balance during the peripartum period, compromising reproduction. Supplementation can mitigate the deleterious effects of nutritional restriction and promote additional gains in cow-calf systems. Thus, the objective was to evaluate different peripartum supplementation strategies for Nellore cows and their calves, on tropical pastures, regarding productive performance through a meta-analysis. Data were obtained from experiments conducted at the Federal University of Viçosa (2014–2023), encompassing the following treatments: no supplementation, pre or postpartum supplementation, and pre + postpartum supplementation. Analyses were performed using meta-analytic techniques including study as aleatory effect. Cows supplemented during the prepartum period showed greater body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) gain, as well as higher BW at calving (p < 0.10), although calf birth weight was not affected (p > 0.10). When supplementation was exclusive to the prepartum period, cows experienced greater postpartum BW loss (p < 0.10). None of the strategies affected BW or BCS at the beginning of the breeding season (p > 0.10). Exclusive postpartum supplementation increased pregnancy rate at first insemination (p < 0.10), but overall reproductive rates were similar among treatments after two inseminations (p > 0.10). Maternal supplementation did not influence milk yield (p > 0.10), however, creep-feeding supplementation increased weaning weight (p < 0.10). Prepartum supplementation improves cow performance during this period, while exclusive postpartum supplementation enhances reproductive efficiency. Additionally, creep-feeding is an effective strategy to increase productivity in cow-calf systems.