ARS | Publication request: NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS UTILIZATION IN BEEF CATTLE FINISHING DIETS

Submitted to: Latin American Association of Animal Production Seminar Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 11, 2003
Publication Date: August 18, 2003
Citation: Greene, L.W., McBride, K.W., Cole, N.A. 2003. Nitrogen and phosphorus utilization in beef cattle finishing diets [abstract]. Latin American Association Of Animal Production Seminar Proceedings. p. 405-406.

Technical Abstract: Over 22 million cattle are finished in concentrated beef cattle feedlots annually in the United States. The fed cattle industry is becoming more concentrated in the southern High Plains due to favorable climatic conditions, availability of feed grains from the Corn Belt and location of harvest facilities. Over one third of the nations fed cattle are located within a 300 Km radius of Amarillo, TX. This high concentration of beef cattle feedlots results in over 415 and 134 million pounds of unused nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively, being transported to the area annually. Development of feeding management strategies to reduce the amount of unused N and P remaining after cattle are harvested is a high priority for this vast industry. Consequently, we conducted digestion and metabolism experiments to determine the nitrogen and phosphorus balance of cattle fed typical feedlot diets with increasing amounts and different sources of nitrogen.