Conventional Feed-Grade or Slow-Release Coated Urea as Sources of Dietary Nitrogen for Fattening Lambs.

Twenty-two Assaf male lambs (29.2 ± 0.9 kg live weight and 89 ± 0.2 days of age), distributed in two experimental groups, were used to evaluate the use of either feed-grade conventional urea (Control diet; n = 11) or slow-release urea (SRU diet; n = 11) as sources of dietary nitrogen on animal performance, ruminal fermentation, blood acid-base status, plasmatic metabolic profile, and carcass and meat quality. Animals were housed individually and fed ad libitum. At the end of the fattening period (day 70), the animals were slaughtered to compare the fermentation patterns in ruminal digesta and to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between treatments in the dry matter intake, final live weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion rate. Regarding the ruminal fermentation parameters, the molar proportion of propionic acid was higher (p < 0.05) and that of butyric acid was lower (p < 0.05) with the SRU than with the Control diet. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between experimental treatments in the blood acid-base status and biochemical profile, except for the concentration of urea in plasma, which was significantly (p < 0. 05) greater in SRU than in Control lambs. No statistically significant differences were observed between treatments (p > 0.05) in the carcass and meat characteristics. In conclusion, the use of slow-release urea as a replacement for feed-grade conventional urea in the diet of Assaf fattening lambs, under the experimental conditions of this study, did not improve animal performance and increased the feeding costs.

Chemical fractionation of carbohydrate and protein composition of corn silages fertilized with increasing doses of nitrogen / Composição química fracional de carboidratos e de proteínas de silagens de milho fertilizadas com doses crescentes de nitrogênio

ABSTRACT: The use of nitrogen fertilizers in corn crops for silage can improve both production and, theoretically, nutritional quality, especially carbohydrate and protein fractions, thereby optimizing animal production. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of nitrogen fertilization in carbohydrate and protein fractionation on the resulting corn silage (Zea mays L.). Nitrogen fertilization was carried out in the urea form (45-00-00) in V5 stage, at the following doses: T1: 0kg N ha-1; T2: 45kg N ha-1; T3: 90kg N ha-1; and T4: 135kg N ha-1. Crops were harvested at R4 stage and submitted to ensiling in experimental PVC silos. The chemical composition of the resulting silage was evaluated after silo opening. There was no statistical difference (P<0.05) in the average contents of gross protein (GP), as well as its C fraction, showing that increasing nitrogen doses in coverage linearly increased GP and linearly decreased its C fraction. For total carbohydrates, there was a linear decreasing behavior due to such consumption with the highest levels of nitrogen applied. Increased nitrogen fertilization dose in corn also linearly enhanced pH in the resulting silage. Therefore, nitrogen increases in coverage can alter carbohydrates and GP fractionation of corn silage, with increases in soluble fiber, GP, and pH, and reduction in the protein indigestible fraction.

RESUMO: O uso de adubação nitrogenada em lavouras de milho visando produção de silagem pode manipular tanto a produção, quanto teoricamente melhorar a qualidade nutricional, em especial as frações de carboidratos e proteínas, otimizando a produção animal. Desta forma, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de níveis crescentes de adubação nitrogenada em cobertura sobre o fracionamento de carboidratos e proteínas na silagem de milho (Zea mays L.) resultante. A adubação nitrogenada em cobertura foi realizada em estádio V5, sob a forma uréia (45-00-00), nas seguintes doses: T1: 0kg de N ha-1; T2: 45kg de N ha-1; T3: 90kg de N ha-1; T4 135kg de N ha-1. Após a colheita do material em estádioR4, foi realizada a confecção da silagem em silos experimentais de PVC, e após a abertura dos mesmos avaliou-se a composição química da silagem. Houve diferença estatística (P<0,05) para os teores médios de proteína bruta (PB), assim como de sua fração C, evidenciando que o aumento da dose de nitrogênio em cobertura aumentou linearmente a PB e diminuiu linearmente a sua fração C. Para os carboidratos totais também houve um comportamento linear decrescente em reflexo do consumo destes em detrimento as maiores doses de nitrogênio aplicadas. O aumento da dose de adubação nitrogenada em cobertura à cultura do milho também gerou um incremento nos valores de pH na silagem resultante com comportamento linear. É perceptível que o aumento de doses de nitrogênio em cobertura pode alterar o fracionamento de carboidratos e PB da silagem de milho, sendo que há aumento da participação de fibra solúvel, PB e o pH e redução da fração indigestível da proteína.