This study was designed to investigate the effects of a humate supplement on rumen ammonia N (RAN), serum urea N (SUN) and live performance i n beef cattle finishing diets. Twenty-four English cross steers (BW 432+5 kg) were stratified by weight, randomly assigned to individual pens and fed one of the four diets, containing 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5% humiclfulvic acid, for 56 d. Control diets contained 33.3 mgl kg monensin. Steers were weighed at d 0, 28 and 56. Blood (jugular veni-puncture) samples and rumen (esophageal tube) samples were taken prior to feeding on d 0 and there after prior to and 4 h post feeding on d 28 and 56. Rumen fluid p H was determined immediately, acidified with HCl and stored (-2OC) for subsequent RAN analysis. Serum was also stored (-2OC) for analysis of SUN. During the 56 d period there was no difference in DMI (P>0.58), ADG (P>0.24) or G:F (P>0.28) between treatments. There were no two or three way interactions for SUN (P>0.95), RAN (P>0.87) or rumen p H (P>0.15). There was a tendency for a cubic response (P

Spontaneous heating in stored alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has reduced forage quality and DM and N digestibility through microbial respiration and Maillard polymer formation. The impact of heating-degree-day (HDD) accumulation in stored bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) was evaluated for its effect on nutrient utilization by lambs. Twenty Rambouillet wether lambs (53.1 +/- 0.74 kg) were used in a completely randomized total collection experiment. The hays selected for this study had previously undergone spontaneous heating, producing either 5, 119, 201, 273, or 401 HDD (> 35 degrees C) during a 60-d storage period. Lambs were offered diets of these hays at 1.5% of BW. Dry matter intake did not differ (P = 0.59) among hays. Linear relationships were detected between HDD and apparent digestibilities of DM (y = 59.1 - 0.016x; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.37), OM (y = 59.3 - 0.017x; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.43), NDF (y = 66.4 - 0.012x; P = 0.01; R2 = 0.30), and hemicellulose (y = 74.0 - 0.012x; P = 0.02; R2 = 0.27). Similarly, significant regressions were observed for fecal N excretion (g/d; y = 4.70 + 0.004x; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.68), apparent N absorbed (g/d; y = 7.4 - 0.005x; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.50), apparent N absorption (%; y = 61.2 - 0.038x; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.71), apparent neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen digestibility (%; y = 85.8 - 0.026x; P = 0.01; R2 = 0.73), and apparent acid detergent insoluble nitrogen digestibility (%; y = 1.5 + 0.101x; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.62). Therefore, spontaneous heating during the storage of bermudagrass hay has a negative effect on dry matter and fiber digestion and nitrogen absorption by lambs.

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, with or without grain supplementation, shortened the period from calving to conception and increased calving percentage in beef cows consuming bermudagrass hay.

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