The objective was to estimate the protein requirements of Nellore, Nellore × Angus and Nellore × Simmental cattle, as well as efficiency of metabolizable protein for gain. Sixty-nine animals (23 Nellore, 23 Nellore × Angus and 23 Nellore × Simmental) were used, with 12 animals (four of each genetic group) slaughtered before the beginning of the experiment as the baseline group, and nine split for the performance of digestibility trial. The remaining animals were divided in three diets (concentrate offer of 1 or 2% of body weight and maintenance). At the end of the experiment, all animals were slaughtered and their corporal composition and empty body weight (EBW) were determined. The metabolizable protein intake (MPI) was estimated by the mean digestible microbial protein summed to digestibile rumen undegradable protein. The net protein requirements were estimated as retained protein by the retained energy (RE) and empty body gain (EBG). The requirements of metabolizable protein for maintenance were estimated as the MPI as function of average daily gain, and the net requirements for maintenance as retained protein (RP) as a function of MPI. The genetic group influenced only the ratio among gains. There were no effects of genetic group on net protein requirements for gain, and the model RP = EBW × (238.5 - 16.73 × (RE/EBG)) is recommended to estimate them. Genetic group did not affect net or metabolizable protein requirement for maintenance, and the values obtained were 1.72 g/EBW0.75 and 3.09 g/BW0.75, respectively. Also, there were no genetic group effects on retained energy as protein, nor in metabolizable protein efficiency for gain, which is 37.5%.
