Abstract

NAVAS PANADERO, Alexander; MOLINA DURAN, Carlos Hernando; MOLINA DURAN, Enrique José  and  VARGAS SANCHEZ, Julio Ernesto. Urea Levels in the Milk in silvopastoral Systems. Rev. Med. Vet. [online]. 2022, n.44, pp.71-80.  Epub May 26, 2022. ISSN 0122-9354.  https://doi.org/10.19052/mv.vol1.iss44.9.

Excess of protein in the diet can lead to both productive and reproductive problems in ruminants. Measuring the urea in the milk allows determining the ruminant availability of energy and protein and, therefore, to do some adjustments to the diet whenever necessary. This study aims to quantify the urea concentration in the milk in a farm that takes care of high-density multi-layer silvopastoral systems. A system with dual purpose was evaluated in El Cerrito, Valle del Cauca (Colombia). The animals were divided into three feeding groups (prairies with guinea-leucaena-algarrobo, estrella-leucaena-algarrobo and estrella-algarrobo, respectively). Samples of milk were gathered during the morning and afternoon milking from the animal selected in each group, and then the urea concentration was determined (Urease/ Berthelot). The urea concentrations in the morning and afternoon milk were correlated positively (r = 0.86), the average concentration was 22.7+9.4 mg/dl. However, the values varied between the feeding groups (p < 0.001), it was higher in the first sample (p < 0.001). Likewise, a broad variation was observed between the samples inside the same foraging basis. Multi-layer silvopastoral systems show an appropriate balance between the fermentable organic matter and the degradable protein in the ruminants.

Keywords : agroforestry; grass-leguminous association; dairy cattle; nutrition.

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