The value and availability of the phosphorus in a high-phosphorus and low-phosphorus red clover hay to growing beef calves

The experiment which has furnished the data for this report was initiated to obtain definite information relating to the effects of red clover hays varying in their phosphorus content when fed to growing beef calves. Two definite objectives were set up at the outset. First to compare the growth and nutritive condition of beef steers fed a ration considered sufficient for moderate growth and consisting of ground corn plus a low-phosphorus red clover hay (0.12% P) and beef steers fed a ration of ground corn and a high-phosphorus red clover hay (0.3% P). Second, to compare the availability to growing calves of the phosphorus in a low-phosphorus red clover hay and that of the phosphorus in a high-phosphorus red clover hay. Objective one was designed to serve as a practical demonstration of the effects of a low-phosphorus ration as compared to a ration adequate in phosphorus. Objective two was an attempt to confirm the evidence obtained from previous experiments with rats³⁷ which indicated that a low-phosphorus hay supplies not only less phosphorus to the ration than a high-phosphorus supplied by a high-phosphorus hay.