Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
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increase in milk yield when offered a legume supplement when the level of<br />
urea in milk was 10 mg/dL. This group<br />
was mostly composed of Brahman cows.<br />
Milk production increase due <strong>to</strong> legume supplementation<br />
(%) <strong>with</strong> respect <strong>to</strong> the control (sugarcane alone)<br />
56<br />
42<br />
28<br />
14<br />
0<br />
-14<br />
-28<br />
0 4 8 12 16 20<br />
Figure 1. Relationship between milk yield increase and urea level in milk of grazing<br />
cows supplemented <strong>with</strong> Cratylia argentea and sugarcane.<br />
Conclusions<br />
Urea in milk (mg/dL)<br />
These results suggest a urea level in milk of about 10 mg/dl could be<br />
used as a benchmark figure <strong>to</strong> increase dietary protein content <strong>with</strong> a high<br />
probability that milking cows will respond <strong>with</strong> increased milk yields<br />
provided demonstrated genetic potential. Furthermore, these results<br />
suggest that crossbred cows respond <strong>to</strong> legume supplementation, even when<br />
MUN levels are above 10 mg/dL. This did not seem <strong>to</strong> be the case for most<br />
Brahman- or Zebu-type cows.<br />
47