Relation between milk urea content and nitrogen excretion from lactating cows

Abstract

Thirty-two Chinese Holstein lactating cows were used to investigate the relationship of milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and nitrogen excretion loading to the environment. Cows were fed a similar amount of forage, and concentrates according to milk production. Total collection of urine and faeces were conducted continuously for three days. The milk urea nitrogen was significantly correlated to total nitrogen excretion (R 2=0.70), urinary nitrogen excretion (R 2=0.85), and nitrogen excretion from faeces (R 2=0.22). The following equation was proposed to predict total nitrogen excretion (TNE) (g/d) based on milk urea nitrogen (MUN) (mg/dl): TNE = 15.46(±1.83)×MUN + 193.40(±28.79). The results obtained in this study suggested that MUN might be used to predict TNE from lactating cows.