Urea and cereals as supplements for ruminants offered barley straw

Abstract

In three trials, two with suckler cows and one with lambs, supplementary forms of dietary nitrogen and/or energy were added to a basal diet of barley straw offered ad libitum. The nitrogenous supplements appeared to have a small effect on the intake of straw but only when they were available for frequent consumption. The addition of cereals to the diet did not affect the intake or digestibility of the straw but reduced the live-weight losses.