Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T23:02:47.307Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nitrogen efficiency in contrasting dairy production systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

S. J. Whelan ,
F. J. Mulligan  and
K. M. Pierce
S. J. Whelan
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland University College Dublin Lyons Research Farm, Newcastle, Dublin, Ireland
F. J. Mulligan*
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
K. M. Pierce
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) losses from dairy production systems are a cause for environmental concern. Excreted primarily as urea N in the urine, this volatile form of N can be lost as ammonia (NH3) contributing to ground-level ozone, the greenhouse effect and the deterioration of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In addition, the production of urea N places a metabolic demand for energy on the dairy cow and excessively high levels of blood urea N are known to have deleterious effects on reproductive performance. Therefore, it is of interest to develop strategies that reduce N excretion from dairy cows and to this end, dietary manipulation of N efficiency offers great potential. There are a significant number of reports in the literature on N efficiency in the lactating dairy cow, including reducing dietary CP intake, improving the balance of amino acids reaching the small intestine, optimising the forage mix and optimising the energy sources in the diet. Across these experiments, N intake ranged from 0.33 to 0.67 kg/day with N efficiency ranging from 0.21 to 0.42. This paper will report on recent N balance experiments conducted at University College Dublin, as well as reports in the literature on studies aimed at improving N efficiency in the lactating dairy cow.

Keywords

dairy cownitrogen efficiencylactationproduction systems
Type
Full Paper
Information
Advances in Animal Biosciences , Volume 4 , Special Issue s1: Proceedings of the Dairy Solutions Symposium, 20th – 21st June 2012, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland , September 2013 , pp. 9 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bach, A, Huntington, GB, Calsamiglia, S, Stern, MD 2000. Nitrogen metabolism of early lactation cows fed diets with two different levels of protein and different amino acid profiles. Journal of Dairy Science 83, 2585–2595.Google Scholar
Bernard, JK, West, JW, Trammell, DS 2002. Effect of replacing corn silage with annual ryegrass silage on nutrient digestibility, intake, and milk yield for lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 2277–2282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Breves, G, Schröder, B, Heimbeck, W, Patton, RA 2009. Short communication: transport of 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thio-butanoic isopropyl ester by rumen epithelium in vitro. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 260–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broderick, GA 2003. Effects of varying dietary protein and energy levels on the production of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 1370–1381.Google Scholar
Broderick, GA 2006. Nutritional strategies to reduce crude protein in dairy diets. In Proceedings of 21st Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference, American Dairy Science Association, Tempe.Google Scholar
Broderick, GA, Stevenson, MJ, Patton, RA, Lobos, NE, Olmos Colmenero, JJ 2008. Effect of supplementing rumen-protected methionine on production and nitrogen excretion in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 1092–1102.Google Scholar
Burke, F, O'Donovan, MA, Murphy, JJ, O'Mara, FP, Mulligan, FJ 2008. Effect of pasture allowance and supplementation with maize silage and concentrates differing in crude protein concentration on milk production and nitrogen excretion by dairy cows. Livestock Science 114, 325–335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burke, F, Murphy, JJ, O'Donovan, MA, O'Mara, FP, Kavanagh, S, Mulligan, FJ 2007. Comparative evaluation of alternative forages to grass silage in the diet of early lactation dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 908–917.Google Scholar
Casey, JW, Holden, NM 2005. Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from the average Irish milk production system. Agricultural Systems 86, 97–114.Google Scholar
Cooke, KM, Bernard, JK, West, JW 2008. Performance of dairy cows fed annual ryegrass silage and corn silage with steam-flaked or ground corn. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 2417–2422.Google Scholar
Cooke, KM, Bernard, JK, West, JW 2009. Performance of lactating dairy cows fed ryegrass silage and corn silage with ground corn, steam-flaked corn, or hominy feed. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 1117–1123.Google Scholar
Dillon, P, Crosse, S, Stakelum, G, Flynn, F 1995. The effect of calving date and stocking rate on the performance of spring-calving dairy cows. Grass and Forage Science 50, 286–299.Google Scholar
EU 2008. Joint impact assessment on the package of implementation measures for the EU's objectives on climate change and renewable energy for 2020 SEC(2008)85(3):3–4.Google Scholar
Graulet, B, Richard, C, Robert, JC 2005. Methionine availability in plasma of dairy cows supplemented with methionine hydroxy analogue isopropyl ester. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 3640–3649.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hyde, BP, Carton, OT, O'Toole, P, Misselbrook, TH 2003. A new inventory of ammonia emissions from Irish agriculture. Atmospheric Environment 37, 55–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kavanagh, S 2011. Chemical composition of grass silage submitted to Teagasc for analysis. Teagasc, Kilkenny, Ireland.Google Scholar
Korhonen, M, Vanhatalo, A, Varvikko, T, Huhtanen, P 2000. Responses to graded postruminal doses of histidine in dairy cows fed grass silage diets. Journal of Dairy Science 83, 2596–2608.Google Scholar
Lapierre, H, Pacheco, D, Berthiaume, R, Ouellet, DR, Schwab, CG, Dubreuil, P, Holtrop, G, Lobley, GE 2006. What is the true supply of amino acids for a dairy cow? Journal of Dairy Science 89 (suppl. 1), E1–E14.Google Scholar
Leonardi, C, Stevenson, M, Armentano, LE 2003. Effect of two levels of crude protein and methionine supplementation on performance of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 4033–4042.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McDonald, P, Edwards, R, Greenhalgh, J, Morgan, C 2002. Animal Nutrition, 6th edition. Pearson Education Ltd, Essex.Google Scholar
Mulligan, FJ, Dillon, P, Callan, JJ, Rath, M, O'Mara, FP 2004. Supplementary concentrate type affects nitrogen excretion of grazing dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 3451–3460.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 2001. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 7th revised edition. National Research Council, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Noftsger, S, St-Pierre, NR 2003. Supplementation of methionine and selection of highly digestible rumen undegradable protein to improve nitrogen efficiency for milk production. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 958–969.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noftsger, S, St-Pierre, NR, Sylvester, JT 2005. Determination of rumen degradability and ruminal effects of three sources of methionine in lactating cows. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 223–237.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Olmos-Colmenero, JJ, Broderick, GA 2006. Effect of dietary crude protein concentration on milk production and nitrogen utilization in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 89, 1704–1712.Google Scholar
O'Mara, FP, Fitzgerald, JJ, Murphy, JJ, Rath, M 1998. The effect on milk production of replacing grass silage with maize silage in the diet of dairy cows. Livestock Production Science 55, 79–87.Google Scholar
Pakrou, N, Dillon, P 1995. Preferential flow, nitrogen transformations and 15N balance under urine-affected areas of irrigated and non-irrigated clover-based pastures. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 20, 329–347.Google Scholar
Peyraud, JL, Astigarraga, L, Faverdin, P 1997. Digestion of fresh perennial ryegrass fertilized at two levels of nitrogen by lactating dairy cows. Animal Feed Science and Technology 64, 155–171.Google Scholar
Phipps, RH, Reynolds, CK, Givens, DI, Jones, AK, Geraert, PA, Devillard, E, Bennett, R 2008. Short communication: effects of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid isopropyl ester on milk production and composition of lactating Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 4002–4005.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rath, M, Peel, S 2005. Grassland in Ireland and the UK. In Grassland: a global resource (ed. D. A. McGilloway), pp. 13–28. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen.Google Scholar
Robinson, PH 2010. Impacts of manipulating ration metabolizable lysine and methionine levels on the performance of lactating dairy cows: a systematic review of the literature. Livestock Science 127, 115–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, PH, Swanepoel, N, Shinzato, I, Juchem, SO 2011. Productive responses of lactating dairy cattle to supplementing high levels of ruminally protected lysine using a rumen protection technology. Animal Feed Science and Technology 168, 30–41.Google Scholar
Rulquin, H, Graulet, B, Delaby, L, Robert, JC 2006. Effect of different forms of methionine on lactational performance of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 89, 4387–4394.Google Scholar
S.I.10 2004. European Communities (national emission ceiling) Regulations 2004. In Statutory Instruments no. 10 of 2004 Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Ireland.Google Scholar
S.I.610 2010. European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice For Protection of Waters) Regulations 2010. In Statutory Instruments no. 610 of 2010.Google Scholar
Schroeder, GF, Gagliostro, GA 2000. Fishmeal supplementation to grazing dairy cows in early lactation. Journal of Dairy Science 83, 2899–2906.Google Scholar
Selbie, D, Lanigan, GJ, Di, HJ, Moir, JL, Cameron, KC, Khalil, MI, Richards, KG 2010. Manipulation of N excretion and the effect on N2O emissions from grassland soil. In Proceedings of a Climate for Change, Teagasc, Dublin, Ireland, 97pp.Google Scholar
Swanepoel, N, Robinson, PH, Erasmus, LJ 2010. Amino acid needs of lactating dairy cows: Impact of feeding lysine in a ruminally protected form on productivity of lactating dairy cows. Animal Feed Science and Techology 157, 79–94.Google Scholar
Tamminga, S 2006. The effect of the supply of rumen degradable protein and metabolisable protein on negative energy balance and fertility in dairy cows. Anim Reprod Sci 96, 227–239.Google Scholar
Van Vuuren, AM 2011. Energy and protein interaction in dairy cattle efficiency and environmental impact. In Proceedings of Symposium on Energy and Protein Interaction in Dairy Cattle- Efficiency and Environmental Impact. Nitra Europe, Slovak Republic.Google Scholar
Van Vuuren, AM, Krol-Kramer, F, Van der Lee, RA, Corbijn, H 1992. Protein digestion and intestinal amino acids in dairy cows fed fresh Lolium perenne with different nitrogen contents. Journal of Dairy Science 75, 2215–2225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Vuuren, AM, Van Der Koelen, CJ, Valk, H, De Visser, H 1993. Effects of partial replacement of ryegrass by low protein feeds on rumen fermentation and nitrogen loss by dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 76, 2982–2993.Google Scholar
Varvikko, T, Vanhatalo, A, Jalava, T, Huhtanen, P 1999. Lactation and metabolic responses to graded abomasal doses of methionine and lysine in cows fed grass silage diets. Journal of Dairy Science 82, 2659–2673.Google Scholar
Volden, H, Velle, W, Harstad, OM, Aulie, A, Sjaastad, OV 1998. Apparent ruminal degradation and rumen escape of lysine, methionine, and threonine administered intraruminally in mixtures to high-yielding cows. Journal of Animal Science 76, 1232–1240.Google Scholar
Whelan, SJ, Mulligan, FJ, Flynn, B, McCarney, C, Pierce, KM 2011. Effect of forage source and a supplementary methionine hydroxy analogue on nitrogen balance in lactating dairy cows offered a low crude protein diet. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 5080–5089.Google Scholar
Whelan, SJ, Mulligan, FJ, Gath, VP, Flynn, B, Callan, J, Pierce, KM 2012a. Dietary manipulation of crude protein and starch content affects energy balance in early lactation dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 95 (suppl. 2), 198.Google Scholar
Whelan, SJ, Pierce, KM, Flynn, B, Mulligan, FJ 2012b. Effect of supplemental concentrate type on milk production and metabolic status in early-lactation dairy cows grazing perennial ryegrass-based pasture. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 4541–4549.Google Scholar
Whelan, SJ, Pierce, KM, McCarney, C, Flynn, B, Mulligan, FJ 2012c. Effect of supplementary concentrate type on nitrogen partitioning in early lactation dairy cows offered perennial ryegrass-based pasture. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 4468–4477.Google Scholar