Prairie Hay Research Articles

A Three-Year Study of the Value of Adding Calcium Carbonate to Cattle Fattening Rations Containing Only Non-Legumes

Each of these three year's work shows the advantage of adding calcium carbonate either as straight calcium carbonate or finely ground high calcium content limestone to a calf fattening ration consisting of corn, cottonseed meal, cane silage, and prairie hay.

Magnesium Sulfate as a Factor in Retention of Calcium and Phosphorus in Cattle.

We reported in connection with a study of a P deficiency in the rations of cattle in parts of Minnesota that the drinking water in the affected regions contains an unusually large amount of magnesium sulfate. This was suspected of being a factor in the mineral deficiency problem because of the well-known antagonism between Mg and Ca, and indirectly because of the close relationship between Ca and P in metabolism. It was shown that aphosphorosis could be produced experimentally in dairy cattle during liberal feeding of prairie hay and oats grown in the affected regions. The diseased condition could be both prevented and allayed by a P supplement in the form of Ca3(PO4)2, bonemeal or NaH2PO4; under the latter conditions the feeding of Epsom salt in large (85 gm.) daily doses for an entire year seemed to exert no ill effect. Haag and Palmer, using rats, found that a high Mg diet hindered Ca retention when both Ca and P were low, but that this result was less frequent if either Ca or P were high, and was not apparent when both Ca and P were high. The effects of high Mg on P retention were similar, but not so uniformly depressing when both Ca and P were low, as was the case with Ca retention. High Ca or P, or both, tended to counteract the effects of high Mg. Recently Kramer and co-workers, and also Shipley and Holt have shown that Mg in low concentration can inhibit in vitro calcification of rachitic bones. The former workers found that suitable increments of inorganic phosphates overcome the inhibitory action of Mg.

The Composition and Digestibility of Prairie Hay and of Buffalo-Grass Hay

The Composition and Digestibility of Prairie Hay and of Buffalo-Grass Hay