Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A while back there was a post about urea. I was hoping someone with better computer skills than I could find it.

Urea is an additive to cow feed, I believe it helps their digestion. It is harmful to any other animals. You have to be careful to avoid it when picking a feed for rats. I believe Nerd said it was basically urine.

If anyone can find the link or knows any more about urea, I'd appreciate the info.

Thanks Mike

urea is urine basically......it can be used as lawn fertilizer , adds Nitrogen I think.....they used to just sell bags of it at hardware and any store you get lawn products.....but with the bomb makings with Nitrogen it is regulated at least if you buy enough of it........

never heard of it in cow feed.....poor cows.......

......mouse and rat food is formulated for mice and rats......there should be nothing in it to harm mice and rats....

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Urea is the form in which mammals excrete nitrogen (NH2CONH2), and makes up urine, along with water and other waste products. I've never heard it being in cow feed though and wouldn't imagine it being beneficial as its pretty much a waste product, but I could be wrong.

It is in there, it will be on the label. It has some benefit to their digestive system. Supposedly, only cows need it and only cows can tolerate it.

I know it isn't in rodent feed, but many people feed other things to their rodents. I have seen two different friends using it lately. One was having extreme trouble with the rats, when he changed feed the rats improved. I don't think the other friend had been using it long enough to have an effect.

Mike

From what I can remember of my Feeds class in college.. Urea is used as a substitute for other more nutritious nitrogen-rich products in cheap feeds for large mammals (cattle, etc.) it has no real nutritional value other than supposedly satisfying the nitrogen requirement in a cost-effective manner. At least that's what I was taught. It's a farmer's penny-pinching alternative to the good stuff. : ) Not sure about it in rodent food.. It would definitely be on the label. FDA requirement.

-Tami*

It does not hurt cows. Cows eat grass, hay, etc and the urea helps them in digestion so they can got to the bathroom. Months back I tried some range cubes ( cow feed ) on my rats. They blew up like they were very pregnant. That actually was the urea giving them major amounts of gas. So it is nooooo good for rats. I'm not sure of the link though Mike, sorry.
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