EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OFDIETARY CRUDE PROTEIN AND UNDEGRADABLE PROTEIN ON THE ECONOMICS OF MILK PRODUCTION OF CROSSBRED COWS

• Main Authors: Sheena Joseph, K. Ally, T.V. Viswanathan, K.S. Sujatha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Director of Academics and Research, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University 2006-01-01
• Series: Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
• Online Access: https://www.jvas.in/public_html/upload/article_file/article_file_qq97xq.pdf?t=qq97xq

A study was conducted with crossbred cows to assess the effect of urea as a source of rumen degradable protein on the cost of milk production in early lactation. Eight crossbred cows within 20 days of lactation were selected as uniformly as possible with regard to their age, parity, body weight and milk yield from ULF & FRDS, Mannuthy. They were allotted to the four dietary treatments in a switch over design. The four concentrate mixtures contained 16.93, 17.37, 19.92 and 19.92 per cent CP and 70.60, 69.24, 70.26 and 68.98 per cent TDN, respectively. The four concentrate mixtures had 28, 39.15, 26.46 and 40 per cent of CP as UDP, respectively, on DM basis. The milk yield was not affected (P > 0.05) by the levels of CP or degradability in the ration indicating that 13.41 per cent.CP in the ration with 28 per cent of protein supplemented as UDP was sufficient to meet the protein requirement of crossbred cows in early lactation. Within each level of protein consumption, increase in UDP level from 25 to 40 per cent tended to increase the milk yield even though the difference was not significant. The cost per kg concentrates mixture for T,, T2 T3 and T4 was Rs. 7.01, 8.51, 7.61 and 9.50, respectively. The cost of production per kg milk produced was Rs. 7.25, 8.10, 8.05 and 9.09, respectively, for the four dietary treatments. The present study revealed that urea can be included economically in the 17 and 20 per cent CP concentrate mixture at two levels of degradability of 28 and 40 per cent without affecting the production performance of crossbred cows in early lactation.