Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T23:11:42.811Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Uromol as a source of dietary nitrogen for ruminants: metabolic and rumen fermentation studies on buffalo calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

N. S. Malik
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
P. N. Langar
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
A. K. Chopra
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana

Summary

The nutritive value of uromol, a heated product of urea and molasses, was compared with raw urea–molasses and groundnut meal in three metabolic trials on buffalo calves. The non-protein nitrogen (NPN) as urea or uromol contributed about 65, 48 and 30% of the nitrogen in the experimental concentrate mixtures, replacing partially or completely the groundnut meal of the control diets. The results showed that at 65% nitrogen replacement, the crude fibre and cellulose digestibilities and the nitrogen retention of the uromol diet was similar to that of the control but was significantly (P < 0·05) higher than the urea–molasses diet. At 48% nitrogen replacement the nitrogen retention in the uromol-fed animals was still significantly (P < 0·05) higher than the urea–molasses fed group. At 30% nitrogen replacement, the differences between the control, urea–molasses and uromol groups were not significant.

In vivo rumen studies with the diets containing 50% NPN replacement showed lower but sustained ammonia-N with uromol than the urea–molasses diet. The total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) in rumen fluid, though initially higher in the control and uromol groups, were not significantly different from the urea–molasses group. Abomasal studies with diets containing 65% N as urea or uromol indicated a higher total nitrogen content in the abomasal fluid of the control and uromol-fed animals than the urea-fed animals. The 24 h abomasal passage of total-N/100 g nitrogen consumed was 95·5, 93·5 and 77·9 g in control, uromol and urea groups, respectively. The TCA-precipitatable-N (TCA-N) was also higher in the first two groups. These studies suggest that uromol is safer and has a better feeding value than urea–molasses at high rates of nitrogen replacement.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Association of Analytical Chemists (1970). Methods of Analysis. Washington, D.C.: Association of Official and Agricultural Chemists, U.S.D.A.Google Scholar
Barnett, A. J. G. & Reid, R. L. (1957). Studies on the Production of volatile fatty acids from grass and rumen liquor in an artificial rumen. The TVFA production from fresh grass. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 48, 315318.Google Scholar
Belasco, I. J. (1954). Comparison of urea and protein meals as nitrogen sources for rumen micro-organisms: urea utilization and cellulose digestion. Journal of Animal Science 13, 739747.Google Scholar
Bloomfield, W. C., Garner, G. B. & Muhner, M. E. (1960). Kinetics of urea metabolism in sheep. Journal of Animal Science 19, 1248 (Abstract).Google Scholar
Brent, B. E. & Adepoju, A. (1967). Effect of hydroxamic acid on rumen urease. Journal of Animal Science 26, 1482 (Abstract).Google Scholar
Bryant, M. P. (1963). Symposium on microbial digestion in ruminants: identification of groups of anerobic bacteria active in the rumen. Journal of Animal Science 22, 801813.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chalupa, W. (1968). Problems in feeding urea to animals – a review. Journal of Animal Science 27, 207219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chopra, A. K., Kakkar, V. K., Gill, R. S. & Kaushal, J. R. (1974). Preparation of uromol, a urea–molasses complex, and its rate of breakdown in vitro. Indian Journal of Animal Science 44, 970972.Google Scholar
Conway, E. J. (1957). Microdiffusion Analysis and Volumetric Error. 4th Review. London: Crosby Lockwood.Google Scholar
Crampton, E. W. & Maynard, L. A. (1938). The relation of cellulose and lignin content to the nutritive value of animal feeds. Journal of Nutrition 15, 383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deyoe, C. W., Bartley, E. E., Pfost, M. B., Boren, F. W., Perry, M. B., Astaett, F. R., Hilmer, L., Stiles, D., Surg, A. C. & Meyer, R. (1968). An improved urea product for ruminants. Journal of Animal Science 27, 1163 (Abstract).Google Scholar
Habbers, L. H., Tillman, A. D., Visek, W. J. & Glimp, H. A. (1965). Some effects of Jackbean urease immunity in young calves. Journal of Animal Science 24, 102104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, F. W. & Anderson, D. L. (1958). Comparison of metabolizablo energy and productive energy determinations with growing chicks. Journal of Nutrition 64, 587603.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hungate, R. E. (1966). The Rumen and its Microbes, pp. 300306. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Langar, P. N., Chopra, A. K. & Bhatia, I. S. (1971). In vitro cellulolytic and urolytic activity of the rumen inocula from buffalo and zebu. Indian Journal of Animal Science 41, 224231.Google Scholar
Langar, P. N., Singh, S. & Bhatia, I. S. (1971). Studies on rumen biochemical activity in the buffalo and zebu under non-urea and urea-feeding regimens. 3. Urea utilization in the rations with or without making them isocaloric. Indian Journal of Animal Science 41, 420427.Google Scholar
Loper, D. C., Harbers, L. M. & Richardson, D. (1967). Effect of bacitracin-M.D., copper sulphate and neomycin sulphate on ruminal urease in vivo. Journal of Animal Science 26, 924 (Abstract).Google Scholar
Maynard, G. W. & Loosli, J. K. (1962). Animal Nutrition, pp. 251275. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.Google Scholar
Punj, M. L., Kochar, A. S., Bhatia, I. S. & Sidhu, G. S. (1968). In vitro studies on cellulolytic activity and production of VFA by the inocula obtained from the rumen of zebu cattle and murrah buffaloes on different feeding regimens. Indian Journal of Animal Science 38, 325332.Google Scholar
Redd, T. L., Baling, J. A., Bradley, N. W. & Ely, D. G. (1975). Abomasal amino acids and plasma nitrogen constituents in the bovine fed normal or opaque-2 corn. Journal of Animal Science 40, 567572.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sidhu, K. S., Jones, E. W. & Tillman, A. D. (1968). Effect of urease immunity on growth, digestion and nitrogen metabolism in ruminant animals. Journal of Animal Science 27, 17031708.Google Scholar
Streeter, C. L., Oltjen, R. R., Slyter, L. L. & Fishbein, W. N. (1969). Urea utilization by wethers receiving the urease inhibitor, acetohydrozamic acid. Journal of Animal Science 29, 8893.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stewart, W. E. & Shultz, L. H. (1958). In vitro VFA production from various feeds by bovine rumen micro-organisms. Journal of Animal Science 17, 737.Google Scholar
Waite, R. & Wilson, A. G. (1968). The composition of rumen fluids from cows fed biuret and urea. Journal of Dairy Research 35, 203212.Google Scholar
Wootton, I. D. P. (1964). In Micro-Analysis in Medical Biochemistry, 4th edn., pp. 9293. London: A. Churchill, Ltd.Google Scholar