Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T23:11:41.077Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Low degradable protein supply to increase nitrogen efficiency in lactating dairy cows and reduce environmental impacts at barn level

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2015

N. Edouard ,
M. Hassouna ,
P. Robin  and
P. Faverdin
N. Edouard*
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1348 Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l’Animal et les Systèmes d’Elevage, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l’Animal et les Systèmes d’Elevage, F-35000 Rennes, France
M. Hassouna
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1069 Sol Agro et hydrosystème Spatialisation, F-35000 Rennes, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1069 Sol Agro et hydrosystème Spatialisation, F-35000 Rennes, France
P. Robin
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1069 Sol Agro et hydrosystème Spatialisation, F-35000 Rennes, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1069 Sol Agro et hydrosystème Spatialisation, F-35000 Rennes, France
P. Faverdin
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1348 Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l’Animal et les Systèmes d’Elevage, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l’Animal et les Systèmes d’Elevage, F-35000 Rennes, France
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Generally, <30% of dairy cattle’s nitrogen intake is retained in milk. Large amounts of nitrogen are excreted in manure, especially in urine, with damaging impacts on the environment. This study explores the effect of lowering dietary degradable nitrogen supplies – while maintaining metabolisable protein – on dairy cows’ performance, nitrogen use efficiency and gas emissions (NH3, N2O, CH4) at barn level with tied animals. Two dietary N concentrations (CP: 12% DM for LowN; 18% DM for HighN) were offered to two groups of three lactating dairy cows in a split-plot design over four periods of 2 weeks. Diets were formulated to provide similar metabolisable protein supply, with degradable N either in deficit or in excess (PDIN of 84 and 114 g/kg DM for LowN and HighN, respectively). Cows ingested 0.8 kg DM/day less on the LowN diet, which was also 2.5% less digestible. Milk yield and composition were not significantly affected. N exported in milk was 5% lower (LowN: 129 g N/day; HighN: 136 g N/day; P<0.001) but milk protein yield was not significantly affected (LowN: 801 g/day; HighN: 823 g/day; P=0.10). Cows logically ingested less nitrogen on the LowN diet (LowN: 415 g N/day; HighN: 626 g N/day; P<0.001) resulting in a higher N use efficiency (N milk/N intake; LowN: 0.31; HighN: 0.22; P<0.001). N excreted in urine was almost four times lower on the LowN diet (LowN: 65 g N/day; HighN: 243 g N/day; P<0.001) while urinary urea N concentration was eightfold lower (LowN: 4.6 g/l; HighN: 22.9 g/l; P<0.001). Ammonia emission (expressed in g/h in order to remove periods of the day with potential interferences with volatile molecules from feed) was also lower on the LowN diet (LowN: 1.03 g/h per cow; HighN: 1.25 g/h per cow; P<0.05). Greenhouse gas emissions (N2O and CH4) at barn level were not significantly affected by the amount of dietary N. Offering low amounts of degradable protein with suitable metabolisable protein amounts to cattle improved nitrogen use efficiency and lowered ammonia emissions at barn level. This strategy would, however, need to be validated for longer periods, other housing systems (free stall barns) and at farm level including all stages of manure management.

Keywords

dairy cattlenitrogen balanceureaammoniagreenhouse gas
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , February 2016 , pp. 212 - 220
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2015 

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

Association Française de Normalisation 1997. Aliments des animaux – Dosage de l’Azote – Méthode par combustion (DUMAS) – NF V18–120. Association Française de Normalisation. Saint-Denis-La-Plaine, France.Google Scholar
Bannink, A, Smits, MCJ, Kebreab, E, Mills, JAN, Ellis, JL, Klop, A, France, J and Dijkstra, J 2010. Simulating the effects of grassland management and grass ensiling on methane emission from lactating cows. Journal of Agricultural Science 148, 55–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baptista, FJ, Bailey, BJ, Randall, JM and Meneses, JF 1999. Greenhouse ventilation rate: theory and measurement with tracer gas techniques. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 72, 363–374.Google Scholar
Burgos, SA, Embertson, NM, Zhao, Y, Mitloehner, FM, DePeters, EJ and Fadel, JG 2010. Prediction of ammonia emission from dairy cattle manure based on milk urea nitrogen: relation of milk urea nitrogen to ammonia emissions. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 2377–2386.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Calsamiglia, S, Ferret, A, Reynolds, CK, Kristensen, NB, van Vuuren, AM 2010. Strategies for optimizing nitrogen use by ruminants. Animal 4, 1184–1196.Google Scholar
Cantalapiedra-Hijar, G, Peyraud, JL, Lemosquet, S, Molina-Alcaide, E, Boudra, H, Noziere, P and Ortigues-Marty, I 2014. Dietary carbohydrate composition modifies the milk N efficiency in late lactation cows fed low crude protein diets. Animal 8, 275–285.Google Scholar
Castillo, AR, Kebreab, E, Beever, DE and France, J 2000. A review of efficiency of nitrogen utilisation in lactating dairy cows and its relationship with environmental pollution. Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences 9, 1–32.Google Scholar
Chadwick, D, Sommer, S, Thorman, R, Fangueiro, D, Cardenas, L, Amon, B and Misselbrook, T 2011. Manure management: implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Animal Feed Science and Technology 166–167, 514–531.Google Scholar
Cheng, L, Kim, EJ, Merry, RJ and Dewhurst, RJ 2011. Nitrogen partitioning and isotopic fractionation in dairy cows consuming diets based on a range of contrasting forages. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 2031–2041.Google Scholar
Cutullic, E, Delaby, L, Edouard, N and Faverdin, P 2013. Rôle de l’équilibre en azote dégradable et de l’alimentation protéique individualisée sur l’efficience d’utilisation de l’azote. Rencontres Recherches Ruminants 20, 53–56.Google Scholar
Demmers, TGM, Phillips, VR, Short, LS, Burgess, LR, Hoxey, RP and Wathes, CM 2001. Validation of ventilation rate measurement methods and the ammonia emission from naturally ventilated dairy and beef buildings in the United Kingdom. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 79, 107–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dijkstra, J, Oenema, O and Bannink, A 2011. Dietary strategies to reducing N excretion from cattle: implications for methane emissions. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 3, 414–422.Google Scholar
Dijkstra, J, Oenema, O, van Groenigen, JW, Spek, JW, van Vuuren, AM and Bannink, A 2013. Diet effects on urine composition of cattle and N2O emissions. Animal 7, 292–302.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
European Environment Agency 2009. EMEP/EEA air pollutant emission inventory guidebook 2009 – technical guidance to prepare national emission inventories. European Environment Agency, Copenhagen.Google Scholar
FAO 2011. World livestock 2011 – livestock in food security. FAO, Rome.Google Scholar
Faverdin, P and Vérité, R 1998. Use of milk urea concentration as an indicator of protein nutrition and nitrogen losses in dairy cows. In Rencontres autour des Recherches sur les Ruminants 5, pp. 209–212.Google Scholar
Frank, B and Swensson, C 2002. Relationship between content of crude protein in rations for dairy cows and milk yield, concentration of urea in milk and ammonia emmisions. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 1829–1838.Google Scholar
Gerber, PJ, Steinfeld, H, Henderson, B, Mottet, A, Opio, C, Dijkman, J, Falcucci, A and Tempio, G 2013. Tackling climate change through livestock – a global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome.Google Scholar
Gustafsson, AH and Palmquist, DL 1993. Diurnal variation of rumen ammonia, serum urea, and milk urea in dairy cows at high and low yields. Journal of Dairy Science 76, 475–484.Google Scholar
Hassouna, M, Robin, P, Charpiot, A, Edouard, N and Méda, B 2013. Infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy in animal houses: effect of non-compensated interferences on ammonia, nitrous oxide and methane air concentrations. Biosystems Engineering 114, 318–326.Google Scholar
Huhtanen, P and Hristov, AN 2009. A meta-analysis of the effects of dietary protein concentration and degradability on milk protein yield and milk N efficiency in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 3222–3232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
INRA 2007. Alimentation des bovins, ovins et caprins – Besoins des animaux – Valeur des aliments – Tables INRA 2007. Quae, Versailles, France.Google Scholar
Insee 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.insee.fr/fr/bases-de-donnees/bsweb/default.asp Google Scholar
Institut de l’élevage 2011. Observatoire de l’alimentation des vaches laitières. 15 des principaux systèmes d’élevage décrits sous forme de fiches.Google Scholar
Kebreab, E, France, J, Beever, DE and Castillo, AR 2001. Nitrogen pollution by dairy cows and its mitigation by dietary manipulation. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 60, 275–285.Google Scholar
Klevenhusen, F, Kreuzer, M and Soliva, CR 2010. Enteric and manure-derived methane and nitrogen emissions as well as metabolic energy losses in cows fed balanced diets based on maize, barley or grass hay. Animal 5, 1–12.Google Scholar
Kohn, RA, Dinneen, MM and Russek-Cohen, E 2005. Using blood urea nitrogen to predict nitrogen excretion and efficiency of nitrogen utilization in cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, and rats. Journal of Animal Science 83, 879–889.Google Scholar
Kristensen, NB, Storm, AC and Larsen, M 2010. Effect of dietary nitrogen content and intravenous urea infusion on ruminal and portal-drained visceral extraction of arterial urea in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 2670–2683.Google Scholar
Monteils, V, Jurjanz, S, Blanchart, G and Laurent, F 2002. Nitrogen utilisation by dairy cows fed diets differing in crude protein level with a deficit in ruminal fermentable nitrogen. Reproduction Nutrition Development 42, 545–557.Google Scholar
Monteny, G-J, Bannink, A and Chadwick, D 2006. Greenhouse gas abatement strategies for animal husbandry. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 112, 163–170.Google Scholar
Monteny, GJ, Smits, MCJ, van Duinkerken, G, Mollenhorst, H and de Boer, IJM 2002. Prediction of ammonia emission from dairy barns using feed characteristics Part II: Relation between urinary urea concentration and ammonia emission. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 3389–3394.Google Scholar
Pellerin, S, Bamière, L, Angers, D, Béline, F, Benoît, M, Butault, JP, Chenu, C, Colnenne-David, C, De Cara, S, Delame, N, Doreau, M, Dupraz, P, Faverdin, P, Garcia-Launay, F, Hassouna, M, Hénault, C, Jeuffroy, MH, Klumpp, K, Metay, A, Moran, D, Recous, S, Samson, E, Savini, I and Pardon, L 2013. Quelle contribution de l’agriculture française à la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre? Potentiel d'atténuation et coût de dix actions techniques. Rapport d'étude, INRA, France. 454p.Google Scholar
Petersen, SO, Blanchard, M, Chadwick, D, Del Prado, A, Edouard, N, Mosquera, J and Sommer, S 2013. Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation. Animal 7, 266–282.Google Scholar
Peyraud, JL, Cellier, P, Donnars, C and Réchauchère, O 2012. Les flux d'azote liés aux élevages, réduire les pertes, rétablir les équilibres. INRA, France.Google Scholar
Podesta, SC, Hatew, B, Klop, G, Van Laar, H, Kinley, RD, Bannink, A and Dijkstra, J 2013. The effect of nitrogen fertilization level and stage of maturity of grass herbage on methane emission in lactating cows. Proceedings of the 5th Greenhouse Gas in Animal Agriculture Conference, Dublin, Ireland. Advances in Animal Biosciences 4, 272.Google Scholar
Powell, JM, Broderick, GA and Misselbrook, TH 2008. Seasonal diet affects ammonia emissions from tie-stall dairy barns. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 857–869.Google Scholar
Reynolds, CK and Kristensen, NB 2008. Nitrogen recycling through the gut and the nitrogen economy of ruminants: an asynchronous symbiosis. Journal of Animal Science 86, E293–E305.Google Scholar
Reynolds, CK, Crompton, LA, Mills, JAN, Humphries, DJ, Kirton, P, Relling, AE, Misselbrook, TH, Chadwick, DR and Givens, DI 2010b. Effects of diet protein level and forage source on energy and nitrogen balance and methane and nitrogen excretion in lactating dairy cows. In Proceedings of the 3rd EAAP international symposium on energy and protein metabolism and nutrition (ed. GM Crovetto), pp. 463–464. Wageningen Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Reynolds, CK, Mills, JAN, Crompton, LA, Givens, DI and Bannink, A 2010a. Ruminant nutrition regimes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in dairy cows. In Proceedings of the 3rd EAAP international symposium on energy and protein metabolism and nutrition (ed. GM Crovetto), pp. 427–437. Wageningen Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Rojen, BA, Theil, PK and Kristensen, NB 2011. Effects of nitrogen supply on inter-organ fluxes of urea-N and renal urea-N kinetics in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 2532–2544.Google Scholar
Scholtens, R, Dore, CJ, Jones, BMR, Lee, DS and Phillips, VR 2004. Measuring ammonia emission rates from livestock buildings and manure stores – part 1: development and validation of external tracer ratio, internal tracer ratio and passive flux sampling methods. Atmospheric Environment 38, 3003–3015.Google Scholar
Spanghero, M and Kowalski, ZM 1997. Critical analysis of N balance experiments with lactating cows. Livestock Production Science 52, 113–122.Google Scholar
Spek, JW, Dijkstra, J, van Duinkerken, G, Hendriks, WH and Bannink, A 2013. Prediction of urinary nitrogen and urinary urea nitrogen excretion by lactating dairy cattle in northwestern Europe and North America: a meta-analysis. Journal of Dairy Science 96, 4310–4322.Google Scholar
van-Soest, PJ, Robertson, J and Lewis, B 1991. Methods of dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583–3597.Google Scholar
Vérité, R and Delaby, L 2000. Relation between nutrition, performances and nitrogen excretion in dairy cows. Annales de Zootechnie 49, 217–230.Google Scholar