Responses of Milk Urea Nitrogen Content to Dietary Rume Degradable Protein Level in Lactating Holstein Dairy Cows

Subject Areas : Camel

H. Rafieei ¹

1 - Departments of Animal Science, University of Tehran, Aboureihan Campus, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2010-09-27 Accepted : 2010-10-26 Published : 2011-06-01

Keywords: rumen undegradable protein, milk urea nitrogen, rumen-degradable protein,

Abstract :

Nine multiparous lactating cows averaging 171 days in milk were divided according to days in milk and milk production into three 3×3 Latin squares with three 3-week periods to investigate the effect of rumen degradable protein on milk urea nitrogen. Diets were formulated to provide 3 concentrations of dietary rumen degradable protein (9.8, 10.8, and 11.8% of dry matter), while rumen undegradable protein (4.6% of DM) remained constant. Each period was 3 weeks in length, with 2 weeks used for adjustment and one week used for sampling. Rumen degradable protein levels had a low effect on milk yield (P>0.05), but a significant effect on protein percentage and milk urea nitrogen content. There was linear increase in the milk urea nitrogen content of cows fed diets one to three (P<0.01). Milk urea nitrogen is a simple and noninvasive measurement that can be used to monitor nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. These results indicated that milk urea nitrogen might be used as a parameter to monitor the change in dietary protein levels.

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