Effect of Urea Treatment and Concentrate Proportions on Dry Matter Degradation of Different Roughages in the Rumen of Jersey Cows

A study was conducted to determine the interaction of roughage quality and ureaammonization on the luminal degradation properties of low quality roughage diets. Four rumen fistulae Jersey cows were fed on a basal diet of either urea-treated or untreated Eragrostis uvula hay. These basal diets were supplemented with concentrate composed of maize meal (78%) and cotton seed cake (22%). The concentrates contributed 0, 25, 50 and 75% of the total ration and hay the rest. The experiment consisted of 6 periods. Each period lasted 19 days, comprising 12 days of adaptation to the experimental diet followed by 6 days degradability measurements and 1-day collection of rumen fluid. During each period the 4 cows were randomly allocated to 4 of the 8 dietary treatments, ensuring that each diet was fed to 3 animals during the entire experimental period.