THE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATES TO GRASS ON FORAGE YIELDS, BODY WEIGHT GAINS, FEED UTILIZATION, AND VITAMIN A STATUS OF STEERS

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Abstract
The dry matter yield of grass forage was increased linearly with nitrogen fertilizer levels of zero, 56, and 112 kg per hectare applied annually in the spring of 1961, 1962, and 1963. Nitrogen levels had little effect on the nutritive value of mature grass forage as indicated by voluntary dry matter intake and body weight gains of beef steers. The apparent digestibility of crude protein increased and that of dry matter and nitrogen-free extract decreased linearly with increasing nitrogen fertilizer rates. Digestibility of crude fiber and ether extract were not altered significantly by nitrogen levels. Forage-carotenes sustained relatively high liver vitamin A levels over a 100-day feeding period. Nitrogen levels had little effect on the rate of liver vitamin A depletion.