Buffalo is more environmentally friendly than cattle based on N excretion

Abstract

Cattle and buffalo have different characteristic in utilizing of feed protein. The differences of utilization will impact on N excretion in feces and urine which are potential to increase environmental contamination. Therefore, it was necessary to evaluate the N emission factor and to determine the specific management that suitable for each commodity species. Total of 26 individual data were obtained from 2 studies in nitrogen balance trials (11 heads of cattle and 15 heads of buffalo). All data were observed from total collection method. The value of nitrogen content in feces and urine were analyzed by Kjedhal method. The parameters observed in this study were nitrogen intake, nitrogen faeces and urine. The data were analyzed using t-test. The results showed that higher N intake/metabolic BW, the higher N excretion, both of urine and feces on buffalo and cattle. In the same intake/metabolic BW, buffalo excreted higher feces than cattle. However, different result was shown in N urine excretion. N urine excretion on buffalo was lower than cattle. N intake/metabolic BW has positive and strong correlation with all N feces excretion (r = 0.89) but low correlation with all N urine excretion (r = 0.36). It can be concluded that buffalo was more environmentally friendly than cattle due to lower nitrogen urine excretion.