Dietary urea concentration and acid-base balance in feedlot steers fed a high concentrate steam-flaked corn-based diet

This experiment investigated the effects of dietary urea fed at 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5% [dry mater (DM) basis] of the diet on systemic acid-base balance in feedlot steers. Results indicated that increasing urea concentrations in feedlot diets had no effect on arterial pH, blood gas profile, serum urea nitrogen, or urine pH. Key words: Acid-base balance, beef cattle, urea