Fluctuations of bovine milk chemical composition in cows fed legume stover and feed grade urea fertilizer nitrogen-based feeds
1 Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Southern University, P. O Box 60293, Livingstone, Zambia.
2 Department of Animal Production and Technology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, 78 Magamba Way (Off Harare - Chirundu Highway) Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.
3 Department of Agriculture, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mulungushi University, P. O Box 80415, P. O Box, Kabwe, Zambia.
Research Article
International Journal of Frontiers in Biology and Pharmacy Research, 2022, 02(01), 044–056.
Article DOI: 10.53294/ijfbpr.2022.2.1.0033
Publication history:
Received on 06 December 2021; revised on 12 February 2022; accepted on 14 February 2022
Abstract:
This study evaluated the weekly fluctuations of bovine milk quality from cows fed legume stover (LS) and feed grade urea fertilizer (UET). The study involved feeding maize stover (MS) improved using UET, chopped groundnut stover (cGS), chopped soybean stover (cSS), mineralized groundnut stover solution (mGS) and mineralized soybean stover solution (mSS) to lactating dairy cows.
The feeding trial involved twelve (12) dairy cows in their second parity. Effect of supplementation with MS improved with UET, cGS, cSS, mGS and mSS on milk quality was evaluated following on-station feeding trials. The study involved 22 factorial experiments within a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Milk samples were analyzed for protein, lactose, fat and solid not fat (SNF) and milk density.
Mean milk protein levels ranged from 3.52mg/ml to 3,73mg/ml (s.e=0.03) for milk from cows fed on MS improved using cGS and mGS respectively. Protein and Lactose were observed to be the least variable (3.64g/ml ±0.12, and 5.24g ±0.24 respectively). Average milk fat content was highest (4.78%, se=0.52) in milk from cows fed on UET treated MS and lowest (3.43%, se=0.52) in milk from cows fed on gGS protein-based MS. Within legume type milk fat was higher(4.75%±1.99) in milk from cows fed on MS blended with mGS than that in milk from cows fed on MS improved with cGS (3.43%±1.99). Similar result was observed in milk fat from cows fed on MS improved with the use of soybean. Lactose in milk from cows fed on UET treated MS was highest (5.51g, se=0.061) and lowest (5.10g, se=0.061) in milk from cows fed on MS blended with cGS. Milk from cows fed on MS improved with mGS was higher (9.61p/cwt, se=0.14) in SNF and lowest (8.88p/cwt, se=0.14) in milk from cows fed on MS with cGS. The milk density values ranged from 32.65sg, se=0.53 for milk from cows fed on UET treated MS to 30.42sg, se=0.053 for milk from cows fed on MS blended with cGS. Milk components were higher when cows were fed on MS improved using mineralized legume stover solutions. Results of the current study have indicated that milk composition is clearly influenced by diet, and period of lactation. In the current study it was observed that milk fat was the most variable component not only among feed types but also over the feeding period.
Keywords:
Fluctuation; Milk; Maize; Groundnut; Soybean; Stover
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