Effect of feeding slow release non protein nitrogen sources on nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation pattern, microbial protein supply and bacterial diversity in deccani rams Manju G.U.*, Nagalakshmi D., Balakrishanan U.1, Nagabhushana V., Venkateswarlu M., Rajanna N.2, Preetham V. Chinni3, Sriharsha K.V.S.2 Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary SciencesPVNRTVU, Hyderabad-500030, India 1Scientist, Kemin Agri foods, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai-600058, India 2Department of Livestock Production and Management, College of Veterinary SciencesPVNRTVU, Hyderabad-500030, India 3Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary SciencesPVNRTVU, Hyderabad-500030, India *Corresponding author: manjuann631@gmail.com
Online Published on 21 July, 2022. Abstract Manju, G. U., Nagalakshmi, D., Balakrishanan, U., Nagabhushana, V., Venkateswarlu, M., Rajanna, N., Preetham, V. Chinni and Sriharsha, K.V.S. 2022. Effect of feeding slow release non protein nitrogen sources on nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation pattern, microbial protein supply and bacterial diversity in deccani rams. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 22: 79–94. A study was conducted on 24 Deccani rams (1–2 years old; 22.5 + 0.96 kg body weight) randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments with 6 animals in each group in a completely randomized design to investigate the effect of two slow release urea products (SRUP) sources on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation metabolites, microbial protein synthesis and rumen bacterial diversity. The control concentrate mixture was prepared with soybean meal as major protein with no added urea. In positive control concentrate mixture, two third of soybean meal nitrogen of control was replaced with urea (46% nitrogen) and urea constituted 1% of the total diet. In the other two experimental concentrate mixtures, urea was completely replaced with fat coated urea (FCU) and hydroxyl methyl cellulose coated urea (HMCCU) having 40% nitrogen. All the animals were fed with sorghum stover, green grass and concentrate mixture in ratio of 50:10:40 as total mixed ration to meet the nutrient requirements of rams as per ICAR (2013). The digestibility of DM, OM, CF, NFE, ADF and cellulose decreased with replacing of 2/3rd of SBM-N of control diet with urea. The CF, ADF and cellulose digestibility improved with replacement of urea with either of SRUP sources. The ruminal pH in rams did not vary with feeding of urea or various SRUP based diets and was comparable to control irrespective of diets, pH was highest at V h after feeding (6.55) and later decreased at 3 and 6h of feeding. The TVFA production (mmol/100ml) in ruminal liquor differed significantly (P<0.01) only at half an hour after feeding with higher production in rams fed with diets containing fat coated urea (9.67) compared to those fed control and other urea based diets. The mean NH3N concentration in the rumen liquor differed significantly (P<0.01) among different dietary groups, different intervals of collection and diet x hours interaction with rapid increase in NH3N in urea based group at 1/2h and the gradual decrease at 3 and 6h, while in FCU and HMCCU baseds group NH3N levels increased at 1/2h after feeding and maintained till 3h after feeding. Among the SRUP sources, HMCCU was better in release of ammonia at steady rate for longer duration (6h). Feeding of urea or slow release urea products enhanced the multiplication of new fibres degrading bacteria compared to those fed control diet. Top Keywords Bacterial diversity, Deccani rams, Nutrient digestibility, Rumen metabolites, Slow release urea. Top |