**3. Results**

#### *3.1. Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics*

The monthly average dry matter intake (DMI) data are presented in Table 2. In the CON group, we detected the smallest DMI in almost all months (with an exception between 4–5 months) of the feeding trial.


**Table 2.** Monthly average dry matter intake per pen.

No tannin additive in the diet (CON); 10 g of mixture (HT + soy protein additive) per animal—1.0 g kg−<sup>1</sup> DM (TAN 1); 15 g of HT additive per animal—1.5 g kg−<sup>1</sup> DM (TAN 2); and 15 g of HT additive per animal added to the TMR diet with reduced quantity of concentrate in nominal value—1.5 g kg−<sup>1</sup> DM (TAN 3). *p*-value lower than 0.05, the result is considered significant.

The growth performance results are listed in Table 3. The final BW was not affected (*p* = 0.273) by treatment, and there were no statistical differences between the groups, nevertheless, we found a 10–40 kg difference. Significant differences in average daily gain (ADG) (measured monthly) were observed in the last months of the trial in ADG 4–5 (*p* = 0.012), ADG 5–6 (*p* = 0.049), and ADG 6–7 (*p* = 0.041), with the lowest growth rate noted in the control group. However, the ADG calculated for the entire experimental period was not significantly different between the treatment groups, indicating no effect of dietary tannins (*p* = 0.142).

**Table 3.** Effect of supplemented hydrolyzable tannins on growth performance of Limousin bulls.


No tannin additive in the diet (CON); 10 g of mixture (HT + soy protein additive) per animal—1.0 g kg−<sup>1</sup> DM (TAN 1); 15 g of HT additive per animal—1.5 g kg−<sup>1</sup> DM (TAN 2); and 15 g of HT additive per animal added to the TMR diet with reduced quantity of concentrate in nominal value—1.5 g kg−<sup>1</sup> DM (TAN 3). a,b Mean values in the same row with different letters are significantly different (Duncan, *p* < 0.05), ± standard error of the mean.

There were no significant differences in carcass weight (*p* = 0.289) (Table 4), conformation score (*p* = 0.086), fatness score (*p* = 0.130), dressing percentage (*p* = 0.090), and additional body measurements (depth of chest and length of carcass).
