Use of non-protein nitrogen (NNP) in ruminant feeds

Non-protein nitrogen has been used in ruminant feeding as a cheaper source of nitrogen than from a true protein source, with urea being the main product with this meaning. Fibrolytic organisms are the most efficient at utilizing ammonia as a source of nitrogen, hence urea in high fiber diets increases fiber degradation and digestion. The problem is that this diet has a rapid release of nitrogen, therefore, much ammonia can be lost by absorption from the rumen epithelium and by eructation.A slow-release nitrogen source would provide better utilization of nitrogen and other nutrients in the rumen.We evaluated the effect of partial replacement of urea with Obtigen(R), a polymer-coated urea-based product that releases nitrogen as ammonia more slowly than urea, and the inclusion of yeast in high-fiber diets on digestion and ruminal parameters of water buffalo.

Autorentext

Doctor en Ciencias Veterinarias (Ph.D). Estudió Doctor en Medicina Veterinaria en la Universidad Central Marta Abreü de Las Villas. Cuba. Profesor Titular-Consultante y Coordinador de la carrera de Medicina Veterinaria. Presidente del Tribunal para la obtención de categorías docentes.