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Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

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increase in milk yield when offered a legume supplement when the level of<br />

urea in milk was 10 mg/dL. This group<br />

was mostly composed of Brahman cows.<br />

Milk production increase due <strong>to</strong> legume supplementation<br />

(%) <strong>with</strong> respect <strong>to</strong> the control (sugarcane alone)<br />

56<br />

42<br />

28<br />

14<br />

0<br />

-14<br />

-28<br />

0 4 8 12 16 20<br />

Figure 1. Relationship between milk yield increase and urea level in milk of grazing<br />

cows supplemented <strong>with</strong> Cratylia argentea and sugarcane.<br />

Conclusions<br />

Urea in milk (mg/dL)<br />

These results suggest a urea level in milk of about 10 mg/dl could be<br />

used as a benchmark figure <strong>to</strong> increase dietary protein content <strong>with</strong> a high<br />

probability that milking cows will respond <strong>with</strong> increased milk yields<br />

provided demonstrated genetic potential. Furthermore, these results<br />

suggest that crossbred cows respond <strong>to</strong> legume supplementation, even when<br />

MUN levels are above 10 mg/dL. This did not seem <strong>to</strong> be the case for most<br />

Brahman- or Zebu-type cows.<br />

47

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