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The health and performance of cows fed large amounts of urea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

Royce J. Treacher ,
Anthony J. Stark  and
Keith A. Collis
Royce J. Treacher
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council, Institute for Research on Animal Disease, Compton, Newbury, RG16 0NN
Anthony J. Stark
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council, Institute for Research on Animal Disease, Compton, Newbury, RG16 0NN
Keith A. Collis
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council, Institute for Research on Animal Disease, Compton, Newbury, RG16 0NN
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Summary

From 6 weeks before calving to the end of lactation 2 groups of 8 cows were fed a ration incorporating a dairy nut containing 29 g/kg urea or an isocaloric isonitrogenous nut containing fish-meal and groundnut. During the 18 weeks after calving, concentrates were fed to appetite. 305-d yields of milk (7023 and 5796 kg) and lactose (345.7 and 273.4 kg) were significantly lower in the urea-fed cows (P < 0·05). Intakes of dry matter, metabolizable energy and digestible crude protein were similar in both groups until 18 weeks after calving when feeding according to yield commenced, but by 6 weeks after calving the urea-fed cows lost only 5% of their immediate post-calving weight compared with 7% in the controls. There was no evidence of ammonia toxicity in the urea-fed cows. Blood glucose concentrations were similar in both groups, but higher serum urea concentrations in the urea-fed cows suggested that there was poor utilization of ingested N. A model proposed by Roy et al. (1977) has been used to calculate the requirements of rumen-degradable protein and undegraded protein (UDP) of the 2 groups from their energy intakes and milk yields. Between 4 and 11 weeks post-calving, dietary requirement for UDP closely matched intake of UDP. It is concluded that UDP intake was a major factor in determining the peak milk yield. Mechanisms by which the degradability of the dietary protein might influence milk yield are discussed.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , January 1979 , pp. 1 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1979

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