ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Nitrogen and energy utilization in lactating dairy goats fed diets with different legume seeds

Abstract

The N and energy utilization of diets with different legume seeds was analysed in lactating goats. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were used and in each case 30% of the protein was supplied by one of four different legume seeds: lupins (L), faba beans (FB), bitter vetch (BV) and vetch (V). A group of eight Granadina goats, allocated to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin Square, were used. The N and energy utilization of the different diets may be considered adequate; milk N/intake N was approximately 0.20, milk N/N balance was approximately 0.50 and milk energy/metabolizable energy was approximately 0.30. Under similar N and energy intakes, faecal and urinary excretion of N and the quantities in milk did not vary significantly. However, the partition of the N balance between milk production and deposit within the body varied depending on the diet. Although this N available to the metabolism was the highest for the FB diet, the quantity of this directed to milk was the lowest. Finally, the faecal and urinary excretion with respect to the quantity directed to milk production did not vary significantly among the different diets.

Effect of dietary biochanin A on lactation performance, antioxidant capacity, rumen fermentation and rumen microbiome of dairy goat

“…BCA supplementation increased milk yield, indicating that dietary N utilization efficiency was improved ( Harlow et al, 2017c ; Pereira et al, 2020 ). Fewer non-degradable rumen proteins increased protein utilization and produced more milk protein ( Morales et al, 2010 ). In another study, the acetate, propionate, and total VFA contents increased, and pH was decreased by BCA supplementation, which affected cellulose fermentation by rumen cellulolytic bacteria ( Harlow et al, 2018 ).…”