<b>Replacing urea with ammonium chloride in cattle diets: digestibility, synthesis of microbial protein, and rumen and plasma parameters</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v31i3.5938

Abstract

Five Holstein steers weighting 450 kg were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square statistical design, where treatments consisted of five replacement levels: 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of urea by ammonium chloride, as non-protein nitrogen in the diet. There was a linear decrease (p < 0.05) on intake and fecal flow, as well as a linear increase in apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and EE as result of ammonium chloride inclusion in the diet. There was a quadratic effect (p < 0.05) on urine pH and a linear increase of urine volume and uric acid (p < 0.05) as a result of ammonium chloride use. Treatments did not influence (p > 0.05) daily excretion of allantoin, purine derivatives, absorbed purines, as well as microbial nitrogen compounds and microbial efficiency synthesis. Rumen pH and plasma urea nitrogen decreased linearly (p < 0.05) but treatments did not influence (p > 0.05) ruminal ammonia concentration as urea was replaced by ammonium chloride. Ammonium chloride can be used as a non-protein nitrogen source in ruminant diets up to level of 1.4% of diet dry matter.