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Effects of Frequency of Ingestion of High-Urea Winter Supplements by Range Cattle^{1, 2,}

Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Stillwater 74074

Abstract

Three trials were conducted to compare self-feeding and hand-feeding (six and three times per week) of a high urea (one-half of protein equivalent) protein supplement to pregnant-lactating cows, yearling heifers and weanling heifer calves grazing dry native winter range grass. Salt was used to limit intake of the self-fed supplement.

Winter weight loss of cows and heifers and condition loss of cows and performance of their calves from birth to end of winter or to weaning were not significantly affected. High weight loss and low rebreeding performance of cows indicated that the utilization of urea was low in all treatments.

Feeding observations indicated that cows that were self-fed or hand-fed six or three times per week consumed supplement 3.4, 1.0 and 3.1 times in a 24-hr period for a total of 34, 12 and 62 min, respectively. Similarly, yearling heifers consumed supplement 3.0, 1.0 and 2.9 times in a 24-hr period for a total of 49, 8 and 112 minutes.

¹ Journal Article 2815 of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.

² The authors wish to express their appreciation to Dr. R. K. Johnson and Dr. J. V. Whiteman for assistance in statistical analysis; to Bill Sharp and Ray Heldermon for their care of the experimental animals and to Nipak, Inc., Pryor, Oklahoma for providing urea.

³ Present address: District Extension Livestock Specialist, Panhandle Experiment Station, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska.

⁴ Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.