A note on the need for supplementary nitrogen in diets for fattening beef cattle

Abstract

SUMMARYThirty British Friesian steers were given either a pelleted diet of bruised barley and ground barley straw (70:30) containing 9·4% crude protein (N × 6·25) or a similar diet with urea or soya bean meal added to raise the crude protein content to 15·0%. Up to a live weight of 200 kg, the growth rate and feed conversion of steers were improved by supplementary nitrogen and urea provided this as effectively as soya bean meal. Beyond 200 kg there were no differences in growth rate or feed conversion between any of the experimental treatments.