Any of you ever use urea as a nitrogen source?

[redangus]

Urea has about six times the amount of protein as cotton seed meal, but as I understand it, it takes about a week for cattle to start to utilize urea. As high as urea is right now, it's not as good of a deal for a protein source as it used to be.

What do you know about urea in feed and subsequent nitrogen poisoning from overuse?

 

[Scotty]

I know if they run out of liquid feed and you fill it back up they eat it like candy. I have heard horses dieing from eating the feces of cattle because of the urea from the feed was not being digested. I hear in stressfull times such as summer when temp. is high cattle are more suseptable to poisoning.


Scotty

 

[Tod Dague]

Urea has about six times the amount of protein as cotton seed meal, but as I understand it, it takes about a week for cattle to start to utilize urea. As high as urea is right now, it's not as good of a deal for a protein source as it used to be.

What do you know about urea in feed and subsequent nitrogen poisoning from overuse?

Urea will feed the rumen bacteria which will ten feed the cow as the bacteria is digested latter with the grass or feed. Urea is not a protein, it is converted in to proteins by the rumen bacteria then absorbed by the cow.

With bypass protein you feed the cow first then the cow will supply some natural urea as a byproduct of the break down of the proteins to the rumen. At least that is my take on things could be way off.

If you use urea (as I do) then it should be in small amounts.

 

[Big D]

Urea is far better suited for the feedlot industry. Although it is and can be used for range cattle. Use in feedlots is pratical because the cattle need carbohydrates to utilize the urea, and since most feedlot rations are high in grain we get great utilization. In Range cattle the urea is usually mixed with molasses so when the cows lick or feed on the supplement they are getting some carbs. The problem with this is you get very inefficient utilization because the carbs are only a small portion of the cows daily feed intake. This has to do with the recycling of ammonia within the animal, beyond my expertise. If you are grazing corn stalks with a lot of grain left in the field you can expect decent results. In feedlot rations the urea should make up no more than 1/3 of the protein to help reduce toxicity. I do not know if this is an advisable rate for range cattle. Once again if they are on pasture that has a lot of grain I wouldn't have a problem. Using urea with high moisture grain can cause problems also. High moisture grain is already high in NPN (non protein nitrogen), most problems in the feedlot will be subclinical, or be seen as low feed intake's and poor performane.
Urea has been in the past a great product, but with the recent rise in it's cost and the increasing abundance of ddg and other by products, I believe there are far better options, especially with range cattle.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Medic24]

So does this mean if I pee in the bunks as I am feeding them it will be good for them? :lol:

 

[Crowderfarms]

Urea will kill a horse.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Let me re-phrase that and clarify, Urea as a feed additive,is not to be fed to horses, such as supplement tubs, the ones containing urea, say "do not feed to horses" It has the potential to kill a horse.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Medic, I know the air can get thin on top of those NC mountains. we're talking UREA not URINE. :lol:

 

[jerry27150]

be careful using urea, knew one guy that lost quite a few dairy cows from using it

 

[Medic24]

Well maybe your right....hey...it started with a "U" so, I thought maybe it was interchangable? Urine, Urea, all sounds the same to me.

I was gonna start saving all of our wee wee and mix it into the feed for better growth. Darn, never is that easy or cheap is it? :cboy:

 

[fit2btied]

Well maybe your right....hey...it started with a "U" so, I thought maybe it was interchangable? Urine, Urea, all sounds the same to me.

I was gonna start saving all of our wee wee and mix it into the feed for better growth. Darn, never is that easy or cheap is it? :cboy:

According to Webster's: urea, Chem. a colorless, soluble, crystalline substance, present in the urine of mammals, and produced synthetically for use in medicine and industry. Drink up Medic!

 

[Crowderfarms]

Medic is already drinking it, see his post about the dream he had about Michael Jackson.The Boy aint quite right....

 

[Tc]

you can use it for the nitrogen in yuor fertlizer.~~~~~~~~~Tc

 

[jerry27150]

that is why cattle eat chicken litter , all the ammonia turns to protein

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Anything high in protein can harm a horse. Never fed cows urea, but my grass sure does like it.

 

[Medic24]

So now, I won't be so self concious whilst peeing in the pasture? And how how I love to pee in the wide open spaces. Always said, if i can't pee off the porch, no need to live there. :cboy: