There is no relationship between plasma amino acid concentration and urinary nitrogen concentration in heifers fed plantain or ryegrass. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rugoho, Innocent; Judson, Glenn; Edwards, Grant; Cheng, Long
• Is Part Of: New Zealand journal of agricultural research. Volume 64:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 56
• Page End: 61
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Amino acids -- herbal plantain -- pasture -- nitrogen -- dairy heifer; Agriculture -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Animal culture -- Periodicals; Animal culture -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; 630.99305
• DOI: 10.1080/00288233.2020.1743327
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-8233

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between plasma amino acid (AA) concentration and urinary nitrogen (N) concentration of dairy heifers offered cut plantain or perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture indoors. Twelve Jersey-Friesian heifers aged 9–10 months were equally assigned to two dietary treatments (plantain vs. perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture) in a completely randomised design. Urinary N concentration was lower in plantain fed heifers (1.4 g/kg) than in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture fed heifers (3.4 g/kg). Feeding cut plantain or perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture did not have an effect on either plasma essential AA, non-essential AA or total AA. There was no association found between plasma AA concentration and urinary N concentration in the present study. Therefore, the urinary N concentration reduction in plantain fed heifers compared with perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture cannot be attributed by the differences in plasma AA.