Levels of milk urea, plasma constituents and rumen liquid ammonia in relation to the feeding of dairy cows during early lactation

The study was undertaken to establish the relationships between milk and plasma urea levels and protein supply, using traditional and new measures of feed protein value. Samples of milk and plasma were taken before morning feeding twice weekly for the first 3 months post partum from 21 multiparous cows and 7 heifers. Samples of rumen fluid were collected every second week. The cows were distributed into 4 different feeding groups. Feeding regimens were factorial with respect to protein content of the concentrates (i.e. Low protein (Lp): 12.5% digestible crude protein (DCP) vs. High protein (Hp): 17.5% DCP) and concentrate allowances (i.e. Low energy (Le): substandard vs. High energy (He): standard). Silage was offered ad libitum. The within-animal coefficients of correlation between milk and plasma urea levels, and between milk urea levels and the levels of ammonia in the rumen fluid wer r = 0.88 (p less than 0.001) and r = 0.75 (p less than 0.001), respectively. Analysis of variance showed the following sources of urea variation to be significant: Protein balance in the rumen (PBV), intake of DCP, intake of amino acids absorbed in the intestine (AAT), intake of fattening feed units, and the individual animal factor. A similar tendency was found for the variation of ammonia in rumen fluid. The coefficients of determination (R2 model) were not increased by introducing protein balance (BADCP), the amount of PBV and AAT in the dry matter ingested, or the protein/energy ratio as alternative parameters of protein intake in the models. The levels of protein or energy intake did not significantly influence the levels of plasma albumin. The correlations between urea levels and other plasma indicators of metabolic status and liver function were generally low.