Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Abstract

A study was conducted in crossbred cows in early lactation to assess whether inclusion of a readily degradable protein source like urea in the concentrate mixture at two levels of CP and UDP will influence the dry matter intake, rumen fermentation and haematological parameters. Eight crossbred cows within 20 days of lactation as uniform as possible with regard to their age, parity, body weight and milk yield were selected and were fed with four isocaloric concentrate mixtures with 17 per cent and 20 per cent CP containing 28, 39.15, 26.46 and 40 per cent of CP as UDP, respectively, on DM basis. The CP content of the four experimental rations formulated with concentrate mixture and paddy straw in the ratio of 70:30 was 13.41, 13.71,15.50 and 15.50 per cent, respectively. All the four dietary treatments contained one per cent urea as source of RDP. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the animals given the four dietary treatments in dry matter intake, rumen NH3-N, total volatile fatty acid levels or any haematological parameters studied in the present study. The results obtained in the study indicate that neither the level of CP (17 and 20) nor UDP (28, 39.15, 26.46 and 40 per cent of CP) has any significant effect on the dry matter intake rumen fermentation and haematological parameters in crossbred cows in early lactation