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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #346023

Research Project: Improved Practices to Conserve Air Quality, Maintain Animal Productivity, and Enhance Use of Manure and Soil Nutrients of Cattle Production Systems for the Southern Great Plains

Location: Livestock Nutrient Management Research

Title: Manure total nitrogen flux from condensed tannin fed beef cattle

Author
item CAMPBELL, TERRA - West Texas A & M University
item RHOADES, MARTY - West Texas A & M University
item BAILEY, ERIC - West Texas A & M University
item Parker, David

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2017
Publication Date: 7/17/2017
Citation: Campbell, T., Rhoades, M., Bailey, E., Parker, D.B. 2017. Manure total nitrogen flux from condensed tannin fed beef cattle. ASABE Annual International Meeting. Paper No. 1701162. July 16-19, 2017, Spokane, Washington. https://doi: 10.13031/aim.201701162

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to determine the effects of three levels of condensed tannins fed to 27 beef feedyard steers on total nitrogen (N) flux from manure. Condensed tannins were fed at rates of 0, 0.5, and 1 percent of the daily ration on a dry matter basis. Manure and urine were collected over two periods for 6 days each. Manure was placed in inert plastic containers and urinary output was calculated on a per animal basis, and added to the manure. Air was passed over the feces/urine mixture at a rate of 1.4 L/min, then through individual acid traps containing 0.2 M sulfuric acid. Headspace samples were also collected with an airtight syringe and injected into a GHG gas chromatograph for analysis. Tannins fed to cattle at the 0.5 and 1.0 percent levels showed a 48 percent and 42 percent reduction in total N flux over the control. Thus, preliminary results indicate that condensed tannins fed to beef cattle can effectively reduce nitrogen output in confined beef animal facilities.