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The influence of range burning and nitrogen fertilization on the nutritive value of big and little bluestem in Kansas True Prairie were studied. Late spring burning decreased dry matter, crude fiber, cell wall constituents, cellulose, and lignin, and increased crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen free extract, and ash. Nitrogen fertilization decreased nitrogen free extract and increased crude fiber, lignin, and ash. Big bluestem was higher than little bluestem in nitrogen free extract, and lower in crude fiber, cell wall constituents, lignin, and cellulose. Range burning is a widely used management tool in the True Prairie region of Kansas because of improved steer performance (Smith and Owensby, 1972). Aldous (1934) reported burning increased range forage protein levels. Smith and Young (1959) reported higher crude protein and ash levels in little bluestem following burning. Smith et al. (1960) noted that burning increased apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude fiber. Although nitrogen fertilization of native True Prairie rangeland has not been widely used, recent attempts to increase carrying capacity have stimulated

Esophageally fistulated steers were used to determine organic matter intake and digestibility of bluestem pastures during the summer grazing season. Following a 48hour total fecal collection period, esophageally fistulated steers were used to collect grazed samples of native pastures during June, July, August, September, and October. Esophageal samples were higher in ash and crude protein and lower in crude fiber, N-free extract, and acid detergent fiber than were hand-clipped samples. In vitro dry and organic matter digestibilities were higher in forage collected by cattle than in handclipped forage. Multiple regression equations were developed to predict in vitro digestibility. Only crude protein and aciddetergent fiber were highly correlated with digestibility. Average daily intakes of organic matter, digestible crude protein, and digestible energy by steers on pasture were estimated from fecal nitrogen regression established from hay trials. Protein apparently became limiting about mid-July and energy in late August. The positive effects of burning were increased forage yield and weight gain with lowered lignin content. A foremost problem in range and pasture nutrition is accurately assessing chemical and botanical compositions of diets of grazing livestock (Van Dyne and Torell, 1964).