Utilization of Carotene from Corn Silages by Steers

TL;DRAbstract

Silages were made from well-eared, well-matured corn which had received a normal rate of fertilization and from corn which had received an additional 200 lb. of nitrogen per acre. Neither silage contained significant amounts of nitrates. However, the high nitrogen-fertilized silage contained less beta carotene. Hereford steer calves grazing green pasture had high initial blood plasma carotenoids but low levels of vitamin A. After being fed a carotene-deficient ration consisting of white corn, molasses dried beet pulp and soybean meal for 61 days, plasma carotenoid levels declined markedly but vitamin A values increased to normal. The carotene-deficient ration at different levels of intake resulted in varying rates of gain but did not influence the rate of vitamin A depletion. Fifty-six steers which had been fed the depletion ration for 137 days were fed silage rations for 126 days. Blood plasma carotenoid and vitamin A levels quickly returned to normal after the silage rations were fed

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