Milk and plasma urea concentration in crossbred Karan-Fries cows fed on berseem based diet

Abstract

The study was conducted in 6 crossbred Karan-Fries cows to investigate the urea concentration in milk and plasma The average body weight (kg ± SE). milk yield/day (kg ± SE), milk fat (% ± SE) and days in milk Were 405± 17.3, 8.6 ± 0.3, 4.4±0.1 and 90.2 ± 16.2 respectively. Animals were fed the experimental diet individually. The 21-day adaptation period was given to the animals for the diet followed by a 7-day digestion trial. The experimental diet contained berseen. wheat straw and concentrate mixture. During digestibility trial the intake of DM (kg/day), CP [kg/day) and DCP (kg/day) were 8.52±0.30, 1.09±0.04 and 0.70±0.03 respectively. The average milk and plasma urea concentrations (mg/dl) were found 30.8±1.1, and 32.0±1.5 respectively. The milk urea concentrations (mg/dl) were found with in the range of 22.4 -30.6, 22.6-46.5 and 22.3-42.5, respectively, in morning, noon and evening milk samples. The average urea concentration was found lower in morning samples than noon or evening samples. IT may be concluded from the study, that when cows are being maintained on berseem based diet, the milk urea concentration (mg/day) within the range of 22.0- 17.0 is indicative of feeding adequacy. Any value beyond this range indicates the protein or energy imbalance in diet and that need to be checked.