Effects of silage quality, protein evaluation systems and milk urea content on milk yield and reproduction in dairy cows

Relationship between milk constituents from milk testing and health, feeding, and metabolic data of dairy cows

A new evaluation scheme to assess the nutritional status of dairy cows on the basis of milk constituents was derived from 7.37 million German records of milk testing. The aim of this work was to validate this new scheme. Two data sets with fertility and health information (data set A) and with measured energy and nutrient intake and metabolic characteristics (data set B) were analyzed. Data set A included 32 commercial dairy farms in northeast Germany, with 72,982 records of 43,863 German Holstein cows; data set B included 12 German experimental farms, with 49,275 records of 1,650 German Holstein, Simmental, and Brown Swiss cows. Milk traits were linked to health disorders and metabolic and feeding characteristics. Frequently used limits of milk constituents were compared with ranges of the new "Dummerstorf feeding evaluation." To distinguish an optimal from a deficient energy supply, a milk protein content ≥3.20% (previously used) and a milk fat:protein ratio (FPR) ≤1.4 (new scheme) were chosen and compared with feed energy intake in relation to demand. Energy status was more often correctly assigned by FPR than by milk protein content (80.7 and 68.7%, respectively). Over all data, the new optimum range of milk urea between 150 and 250 mg/L was better suited to dietary crude protein intake in relation to demand than the previously used range of 150 to 300 mg/L (42.4 and 38.0%, respectively). Ketosis or blood values associated with ketosis such as β-hydroxybutyrate >1.2 mmol/L or nonesterified fatty acids >1,000 µmol/L, as well as strong mobilization of body weight ≥1.5 kg/d, loss of back fat thickness ≥10 mm, and loss of body condition score ≥1 unit in first 60 days in milk were compared with different milk trait thresholds. For the updated scheme FPR >1.4 was used in combination with either milk protein content below the individual statistical lower limit of milk protein content, or milk fat content greater than the individual statistical upper limit of milk fat content; FPR >1.5 was taken as a frequently used threshold. For these ketosis indicators, the new scheme had higher sensitivities. Energy oversupply or the risk of overconditioning could not be identified by milk constituents alone. Urinary acid-base content was not related to milk content. Similarly, milk testing data did not allow a clear distinction to be made between the diagnoses of acidosis and, for example, ketosis. Essential requirements for good herd management are the continuous observation of milk testing data in combination with other established instruments of feeding and animal monitoring.

The relationship between milk urea content and fertility in dairy cows

A number of studies have shown that milk urea levels above about 350 mg/l are associated with reduced fertility in dairy cows (Ropstad and Refsdal, 1987; Gustafsson and Carlsson, 1993). A significant and increasing proportion of UK milk producers receive regular information on the urea content of bulk milk as part of routine milk testing. Two studies were undertaken to examine whether the urea content in bulk milk (Study 1) or in milk from individual cows at about the time of service (Study 2) could be used as a management aid to improve fertility status.

In Study 1, the milk urea (MU) contents in bulk milk samples from 475 farms in England and Wales were determined by NIRS. Fertility data for each farm was obtained from National Milk Records. Analysis of the data for each month of the study was restricted to those herds in which ≥15 cows were served.

Changes in milk urea around insemination are negatively associated with conception success in dairy cows

Dietary protein levels are a risk factor for poor reproductive performance. Conception is particularly impaired in cases of high blood or milk urea. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between conception and low milk urea or changes in milk urea around artificial insemination (AI). Data were obtained from the French Milk Control Program for a 4-yr period (2009-2012). Milk urea values between 250 and 450 mg/kg (4.3 and 7.7 mM) were considered intermediate (I), and values ≤150 mg/kg (2.6 mM) were considered low (L). Milk urea values before and after each AI were allocated into 4 classes representing the dynamics of milk urea (before-after; I-I, I-L, L-I, and L-L). Subclinical ketosis was defined using milk fat and protein contents before AI as proxies. A logistic regression with a Poisson correction and herd as a random variable was then performed on data from Holstein or all breeds of cows. The success of conception was decreased [relative risk (95% confidence interval) = 0.96 (0.94-0.99)] in low-urea cows compared with intermediate-urea cows after AI; no significant association was found for urea levels before AI. When combining data on urea before and after AI, I-L urea cows exhibited a 5 to 9% decrease in conception compared with I-I urea cows, and L-I urea cows showed no difference in conception success compared with I-I urea cows. A decreased conception success for L-L urea cows compared with I-I urea cows was observed for the analysis with cows of all breeds. This work revealed that a decrease in urea from intermediate (before AI) to low (after AI) is a risk factor for conception failure. Surveys of variation in milk urea in dairy cows close to breeding are highly recommended.

Factors influencing the chance of cows being pregnant 30 days after the herd voluntary waiting period

The objective of this study was to study factors affecting a reproductive performance indicator at the cow level adjusted for herd management strategy. Associations between the outcome variable, pregnant or not at the herd voluntary waiting period (VWP) plus 30d (pregnant at VWP+30), and the predictor variables were analyzed using a multivariable, generalized estimation equations model that adjusted for clustering of the data at the herd level. The statistical analysis was stratified on parity. In total, 132,721 cows were retained for analyses, of which 29,113 (22%) were pregnant at VWP+30d. Of the nonpregnant cows, 81,483 cows had records of artificial inseminations (AI) and 22,125 cows had no records of AI. The chance of pregnancy was higher for cows of the Swedish Red and for other/crossbreeds compared with Swedish Holstein, for cows from herds with high heat detection efficiency compared with cows from herds with medium and low heat detection efficiency, for cows from herds with long VWP (i.e., >51d) compared with cows from herds with short VWP (<51d), and for cows in freestalls compared with cows in tiestalls. The chance for pregnancy was lower for cows with severe problems at claw trimming compared with cows with no problems at trimming (only for second- and higher-parity cows), for cows that had a record of reproduction-related disease, for cows that had a record of any other disease compared with cows without record, for second- and higher-parity cows with records of dystocia compared with cows with no record of dystocia, for first-parity cows in the group with the highest milk yield compared with first-parity cows in the group with the lowest milk yield, for cows of third and higher parity in the group with the lowest milk yield compared with cows in higher yielding groups, for cows bred in summer compared with those bred in winter-spring (not significant for first-parity cows), and for cows with a twin birth had compared with cows with a single birth. We observed associations of the dose-response type, such that when the milk fat-to-protein ratio increased, the chance for pregnancy decreased, and as the somatic cell count increased, the chance for pregnancy decreased. In conclusion, factors that are known to affect reproductive efficiency also affect the chance of cows being pregnant at the herd VWP plus 30d.

Genetic and phenotypic relationships among milk urea nitrogen, fertility, and milk yield in holstein cows

The aims of the study were to evaluate the relationships among milk urea nitrogen and nonreturn rates at the phenotypic scale, and to estimate genetic parameters among milk urea nitrogen, milk yield, and fertility traits in the early period of lactation. Milk yield, protein percentage, the interval from calving to first service, and 56- and 90-d nonreturn rates were available from 73,344 Holstein cows from 2,178 different herds located in a region in northwestern Germany. Generalized linear models with a logit link function were applied to assess the phenotypic relationships. Bivariate threshold-threshold, linear-threshold, and linear-linear models, fitted in a Bayesian framework, were used to estimate genetic correlations among traits. Milk yield, protein percentage, and milk urea nitrogen were means from test-day 1 (on average 20.8 d in milk) and test-day 2 (on average 53.1 d in milk) after calving. An increase in milk urea nitrogen was associated with decreasing 56-d nonreturn rates on the phenotypic scale. At fixed levels of milk urea nitrogen, greater values of protein percentage, indicating a surplus of energy in the feed, were positively associated with nonreturn rates. Heritabilities were 0.03 for 56- and 90-d nonreturn rates, 0.07 for interval from calving to first service, 0.13 for milk urea nitrogen, and 0.19 for milk yield. Service sire explained a negligible part (below 0.15%) of the total variance for nonreturn rates. Genetic correlations between the interval from calving to first service and nonreturn rates were close to zero. The genetic correlation between nonreturn rates was 0.94, suggesting that a change from nonreturn after 90 d to nonreturn after 56 d in the national genetic evaluation would not result in any loss of information. The genetic correlation between milk yield and nonreturn after 56 d was -0.31, and between milk yield and calving to first service was 0.14, both indicating an antagonistic relationship between production and reproduction. The genetic correlation between milk yield and milk urea nitrogen was 0.44, reflecting an energy deficiency in early lactation. The genetic correlations between milk urea nitrogen and nonreturn rates were too weak (-0.19 for 56-d nonreturn rate, and -0.23 for 90-d nonreturn rate) to justify the use of milk urea nitrogen as an additional trait in genetic selection for fertility, as demonstrated by selection index calculations.

Milk urea-nitrogen negatively affected first-service breeding success in commercial dairy cows in Prince Edward Island, Canada

Our objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between milk urea-nitrogen concentrations ([MUN]) and first-service breeding success (FSBS) in a large number of commercial dairy herds, using various timings on [MUN]. All commercial dairy herds in Prince Edward Island on monthly milk testing (n=198) formed the sampling frame. Milk components, [MUN], 24-h milk production, and breeding data for all cows from these farms were gathered electronically from a central database. A first service between 1 June 1999 and 31 May 2000 was classified successful (FSBS=1) if it was the cow's last service and she calved 270-290 d later. Mixed logistic-regression modeling was used to determine the association between FSBS (the outcome variable) and the [MUN] closest to first service, controlling for other possible confounders and clustering effects of cows within the study herds. The final dataset included 2787 successful and 3015 unsuccessful first services. A change in [MUN] on the test closest to first service from 10 to 20 mg/dL was associated with a 13.9% reduction in the odds of FSBS (controlled for parity, milk production and days in milk).

Metabolic variables and plasma leptin concentrations in dairy cows exhibiting reproductive cycle abnormalities identified through milk progesterone monitoring during the post partum period

We have used milk progesterone analysis to monitor reproductive function in lactating dairy cows and have then related this reproductive function to a variety of metabolic variables. Monitoring of cows (n = 41) during the period of onset of luteal function (first milk progesterone reading>5 ng/ml) revealed that delayed onset was associated with increased milk yield and greater loss of body weight and body condition but was not related to plasma metabolite or leptin concentrations. Further monitoring of reproductive function in these 41 cows and an additional 33 cows (total n = 74) during the mating period (from weeks 6 to 14 post partum) identified reproductive cycle abnormalities in 29 (39.2% of animals). The occurrence of cycle abnormalities was associated with increased milk yield (P < 0.05), elevated plasma beta hydroxybutyrate (P < 0.05) and reduced plasma leptin (P < 0.01) concentrations as well as a lower (P < 0.05) rate of gain of body weight and condition score but was not associated with plasma urea or glucose concentrations. Furthermore, cows exhibiting cycle abnormalities had a longer (P < 0.01) interval to first service and a smaller percentage had conceived by 100 days post partum (34.5% versus 66.7%; P < 0.01). These results provide further evidence that impaired reproductive function during the post partum period in dairy cows is caused by a poor energy status and not elevated urea concentrations. Reduced plasma leptin concentrations in animals suffering reproductive dysfunction further supports this view.

Relationships Between Milk Urea and Production, Nutrition, and Fertility Traits in Israeli Dairy Herds

The objectives of this study were to identify and evaluate production and environmental factors that influence milk urea (MU) in Israeli dairy herds, to analyze the relationships between MU concentration and nutritional variables, and to examine a possible association between MU and pregnancy rate (PR). Production and environmental data were obtained from the Israeli Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) Center (n = 1,279,600). Programmed total mixed rations (feeds and quantities) on milk-test day were collected from 42 dairy herds. Data on 36,073 cows that were inseminated close to milk-test day and pregnancy diagnosis results were obtained from the DHI data bank. Highly significant positive relationships were found between MU concentration and milk yield and fat percentage; relationships between MU and milk total protein percentage and somatic cell count were negative. Milk urea levels were higher during the summer months and were higher for adult cows. These levels increased as lactation progressed. Milk urea was positively associated with dietary levels of crude protein, ruminal digestible protein, and neutral detergent fiber contents; it was negatively associated with ration energy and nonstructural carbohydrate contents. Significant influences of specific feeds on MU were detected. A significant negative association was found between MU level and PR. Least squares means for PR for cows in the lowest and highest MU quartiles were 38.4 and 36.1%, respectively. Increasing levels of MU were negatively related to reproductive performance of dairy cows, but the risk of nonpregnancy caused by high levels of MU was lower than reported in previous studies.

Evaluation of Milk Urea Nitrogen as a Diagnostic of Protein Feeding

An evaluation of milk urea nitrogen (MUN) as a diagnostic of protein feeding in dairy cows was performed using mean treatment data (n = 306) from 50 production trials conducted in Finland (n = 48) and Sweden (n = 2). Data were used to assess the effects of diet composition and certain animal characteristics on MUN and to derive relationships between MUN and the efficiency of N utilization for milk production and urinary N excretion. Relationships were developed using regression analysis based on either models of fixed factors or using mixed models that account for between-experiment variations. Dietary crude protein (CP) content was the best single predictor of MUN and accounted for proportionately 0.778 of total variance [MUN (mg/dL) = -14.2 + 0.17 x dietary CP content (g/kg dry matter)]. The proportion of variation explained by this relationship increased to 0.952 when a mixed model including the random effects of study was used, but both the intercept and slope remained unchanged. Use of rumen degradable CP concentration in excess of predicted requirements, or the ratio of dietary CP to metabolizable energy as single predictors, did not explain more of the variation in MUN (R(2) = 0.767 or 0.778, respectively) than dietary CP content. Inclusion of other dietary factors with dietary CP content in bivariate models resulted in only marginally better predictions of MUN (R(2) = 0.785 to 0.804). Closer relationships existed between MUN and dietary factors when nutrients (CP to metabolizable energy) were expressed as concentrations in the diet, rather than absolute intakes. Furthermore, both MUN and MUN secretion (g/d) provided more accurate predictions of urinary N excretion (R(2) = 0.787 and 0.835, respectively) than measurements of the efficiency of N utilization for milk production (R(2) = 0.769). It is concluded that dietary CP content is the most important nutritional factor influencing MUN, and that measurements of MUN can be utilized as a diagnostic of protein feeding in the dairy cow and used to predict urinary N excretion.

Sources of variation in milk urea nitrogen in Ohio dairy herds

The purpose of this study was to estimate the amount of variation in milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentrations attributable to test-day, individual cow, and herd effects and to describe factors associated with MUN measurements in Ohio dairy herds. The data came from 24 Holstein herds, half of which were classified as low producing (LP) [rolling herd average (RHA) milk production < 7,258 kg] and half as high producing (HP) herds (RHA production > 10,433 kg). MUN concentration was measured from cow's monthly test-day milk samples. The data were analyzed using multilevel modeling technique in MLwiN, separately for LP and HP herds. The unadjusted mean MUN was 13.9 mg/dl for the HP herds and 11.3 mg/dl for the LP herds. The variance structure was different between the two groups. Most of the variability was found at test-day level in the LP herds, but at herd level in HP herds. MUN was lowest during the first month of lactation, and also season was associated with MUN in both groups. Test-day milk yield, milk fat percentage, and SCC were associated with MUN in the HP herds. With significant explanatory variables in the model, proportionally more of the variation was explained at herd level and less at test day level in both groups. Lower variability in MUN between test days in the HP herds may indicate more consistent day-to-day feeding and management within a herd. The great variability between test days should be considered when interpreting MUN and samples should be collected at the same time of the day to minimize day-to-day variability.

Relationship between milk urea concentration and the fertility of dairy cows

The relationship between milk urea concentration and the fertility of dairy cows was examined in two studies. The first examined the relationship between bulk milk urea concentration and overall herd fertility, using data collected from 250 herds in the UK. There was no relationship either between bulk milk urea concentration and fertility, or between changes in bulk milk urea concentration and fertility. The second study compared the relationship between the milk urea concentration five days after service, and the fertility of individual cows on 11 UK dairy farms. There was no significant difference between the milk urea concentration of the cows that became pregnant and those that did not.

Relationships among body condition score, milk constituents, and postpartum luteal function in Norwegian dairy cows

Relationships among body condition score (BCS), milk constituents, and resumption of postpartum luteal function were studied in 162 lactations of first- and second-parity Norwegian dairy cows. Milk components included acetone, lactose, fat, protein, urea, and ratios of fat to protein and fat to lactose. Milk progesterone concentrations were used to determine intervals from calving to first luteal response (> 5 ng/ml). Intervals to first luteal response were divided into categories of early (< or = 24 d) or late (> 24 d) responses. Higher BCS were observed during wk 4 and 5 postpartum among both first- and second-parity cows with early compared with delayed luteal responses. Second-parity cows with early onset of luteal function also had higher BCS from wk 6 through 12, whereas first-parity cows with early onset of luteal function had higher BCS from wk 13 through 15. Higher acetone levels from wk 2 through 4 postpartum were associated with late luteal response in second-parity cows. Greater milk lactose content during wk 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 postpartum and higher fat fractions during wk 4 postpartum were related to early luteal response in second-parity cows. Relationships between milk constituents and onset of luteal function were less evident and occurred later postpartum among first-parity cows than among second-parity cows. Measures of weekly milk composites obtained during the early postpartum period and BCS were closely associated with postpartum resumption of luteal function. Acetone and lactose values in milk from the first 4 wk postpartum predicted postpartum luteal function in second-parity cows at a sensitivity of 0.84 and specificity of 0.86.

Milk urea testing as a tool to monitor reproductive performance in Ontario dairy herds

Dairy herd improvement test-day data, including milk urea concentrations measured using infrared test method, were collected from 60 commercial Ontario Holstein dairy herds for a 13-mo period between December 1, 1995, and December 31, 1996. The objective of the study was to describe, at the cow and the group level, the relationship between DHI milk urea concentrations and reproductive performance in commercial dairy herds. When interpreted at the cow level, there was no association between milk urea and the risk for pregnancy from an insemination occurring within the 45-d period preceding test day. However, a negative curvilinear relationship existed between milk urea and the risk for pregnancy from a first, second, or third insemination event occurring within the 45-d period following test day, with the odds for pregnancy being highest when the milk urea on the test day preceding the insemination was either below 4.5 mmol/L or greater than 6.49 mmol/L, compared with a concentration between 4.5 and 6.49 mmol/L. When interpreted at the group level, there was no association between group mean milk urea for cows between 50 and 180 DIM, and the group conception rate for cows receiving a first, second, or third insemination event in the 45-d period either preceding or following test day. Thus, while DHI milk urea measurements may be useful as a management tool to improve the efficiency of production or reduce nitrogen excretion, through helping to optimize the efficiency of protein utilization, they may have limited utility as a monitoring or diagnostic tool for reproductive performance. The results of this study suggest that good fertility may be achieved across a broad range of milk urea concentrations.

Bulk milk urea concentrations and their relationship with cow fertility in grazing dairy herds in southern Chile

Milk urea determination is being used as a broad indicator of protein/energy imbalance in dairy herds. The main purpose of this study was to compare blood and bulk milk urea values in grazing herds, to evaluate their seasonal variation under South Chilean conditions, and to examine their potential relationships with herd fertility. The association between herd blood urea concentration (mean of seven lactating cows) and bulk milk urea concentration (tank containing milk from the previous 24 h) was determined in 21 diary herds. Reference values, seasonal and herd variance, and the frequency of herds with values outside a range of 2.5 to 7.3 mmol/l were determined in bulk milk samples obtained monthly for a period of one year from 82 suppliers at two creameries located in southern Chile. Finally, bulk milk urea was measured every two weeks in samples from 24 herds, and the first service conception rate (FSCR) from 2153 dairy cows was determined. Mean bulk urea concentration was highly correlated with mean herd blood urea concentration (r = 0.95; p < 0.01). Mean urea concentration in the bulk milk samples obtained during one year from 82 herds was 4.9 +/- 1.2 mmol/l, with a range of 1.5 to 11.6 mmol/l. The highest values were found during spring and the lowest values during the summer. There was a high seasonal variation (CV = 13-47%) and between-herd variation (CV = 20-31%). Out of a total of 984 samples, 5.4% had urea values > 7.3 mmol/l and 3.8% had values < 2.5 mmol/l. Of the 82 herds, 27% had values outside the reference interval (2.5-7.3 mmol/l) on two or more occasions. FSCR was lower in herds when the bulk milk urea was > 7.3 mmol/l (50.7%) than in cows, where the urea concentration was < 5.0 mmol/l (73.8%) at the time of insemination. The study concluded that bulk milk urea concentrations provided information similar to herd blood urea concentrations in local grazing dairy herds. There was a high frequency of herds with abnormal values, with large variations between herds and between seasons. Increased milk urea concentrations during spring were associated with lower conception rates.

Indications and implications for testing of milk urea in dairy cattle: A quantitative review. Part 2. Effect of dietary protein on reproductive performance

DIETARY PROTEIN AND DAIRY COW FERTILITY: Feeding more dietary protein has been negatively associated with dairy cow fertility in some but not all studies. We used meta-analysis to examine the relationship between dietary crude protein and conception rate. While a higher intake of dietary crude protein significantly lowered conception rate, the potential for feeding less degradable dietary protein to modify this relationship was not demonstrated. MILK UREA CONCENTRATIONS AND DAIRY COW FERTILITY: The use of milk urea as an indicator of dietary energy and protein intake and as an indicator of reproductive performance has been questioned. We found that changes in urea concentration in body fluids explained only 25% (p = 0.08) of the variance in conception rate after conducting a meta-analysis of available studies. INTERPRETATION OF MILK UREA CONCENTRATIONS: High intakes of dietary protein may induce adaptations in urea metabolism, and the negative relationship identified between high intakes of dietary protein and fertility for Northern Hemisphere dairy herds may not necessarily apply in Australasian dairy herds. Because of the potential for cows to adapt to high protein diets, the use of a single milk urea determination on a herd will have limited value as an indicator of nutritional status and little value as a predictor of fertility.

Indications and implications for testing of milk urea in dairy cattle: A quantitative review. Part 1. Dietary protein sources and metabolism

MILK UREA CONCENTRATIONS IN DAIRY CATTLE: There has been increased use of milk urea concentration as an indicator of dietary protein intake and protein metabolism in dairy cattle over recent years. The value of milk urea content data in predicting dietary composition, particularly for pasture-fed cattle, has not been well described. PROTEIN METABOLISM AND UREA SYNTHESIS: Many factors influence the degradation of dietary proteins in the rumen, post-ruminal protein metabolism and urea synthesis in cattle. Strong positive correlations between nitrogenous fertiliser use and the crude protein content of pastures were identified by use of meta-analysis. Similar strong positive correlations were noted between dietary protein intake, rumen ammonia and plasma urea concentrations. The costs of urea synthesis include energy losses, and importantly, the loss of endogenous amino acids, which are deaminated in the synthesis of urea. MILK UREA AS AN INDICATOR OF PROTEIN METABOLISM: Urea concentrations in blood, plasma and milk are strongly correlated. Milk is an adequate indicator of blood and plasma urea content, but non-nutritional factors may significantly influence milk urea concentrations. Recommendations for dietary protein management based on milk urea concentrations must be undertaken with care.

Evaluation of bulk milk analyses of acetone, urea, and the fat-lactose-quotient as diagnostic aids in preventive veterinary medicine

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of additional acetone and urea analyses to the established milk quality system (protein, fat, lactose, and somatic cell count) in bulk milk samples twice a month. Samples were obtained from 44/93 herds in a lowland/highland area. When ranging herds with most acetone values over 0.24mmol/1 (90th percentile), only two out of 10 herds would be on a corresponding list when ranged for highest ketosis treatment incidence. Most high acetone values occur after periods with concentrated calvings, but also in periods without calvings, presumably because of feeding with inferior silage high in butyric acid. Milk fat concentration, milk lactose concentration and the interaction term between these, the fat-lactose-quotient, show the largest absolute values in all three models with ketosis treatment incidence, milk protein concentration, and milk yield as dependent variables in general linear analyses on standardized variables. Acetone and urea concentrations in bulk milk show only small absolute values or are omitted from the models. The practical conclusion from these analyses on bulk milk samples to be used by advisory personnel is small, but it seems that high bulk milk fat concentrations and low lactose concentrations are unfavourable when it comes to ketosis treatment incidence, but favourable when it comes to milk protein concentration. Bulk milk acetone concentrations as a measure of the energy supply in herds must only be interpreted after calving intensity and silage quality are assessed.

Variations with breed, age, season, yield, stage of lactation and herd in the concentration of urea in bulk milk and individual cow's milk

The concentration of urea in the milk of 510 dairy cows in 10 herds was determined at regular intervals for a year. The herds contained approximately equal numbers of Swedish Red and White, and Swedish Holstein cows. The mean +/- sd concentration in the samples from individual cows was 5.32 +/- 1.13 mmol/l, and the mean concentration in bulk milk was 5.39 +/- 0.96 mmol/l. These values indicated that on average the herds were fed too much protein relative to their intake of energy throughout the year. Herd factors had a strong influence on the milk urea concentration. The concentration was lower during the first month of lactation than later in the lactation, and lower when the cows were housed during the winter than when they were grazing. There was a weak positive relationship between the daily milk yield and urea concentration, particularly during late lactation, but there was no relationship with either breed or age. Bulk milk urea was a reliable guide to the average urea concentration of a herd.

The influence of the dietary balance between energy and protein on milk urea concentration. Experimental trials assessed by two different protein evaluation systems

Twenty-three dairy cows were fed rations with different proportions of energy and digestible crude protein (DCP). When the ration was balanced for energy and DCP according to Swedish standard the cows' milk urea concentration was 4.66-4.92 mmol/l (95% CI of mean). With increasing intakes of DCP, fed together with standard levels of energy, the mean milk urea concentration increased in proportion to the surplus of DCP. In contrast, the concentration of urea decreased when the cows were overfed with energy at the same time as they were underfed with protein. When the rations were recalculated in accordance with the AAT/PBV system for dietary protein evaluation the 95% CI for the mean milk urea concentration of the cows receiving a balanced ration was 3.76-4.56 mmol/l. The concentration of urea was dependent primarily on the PBV. When the 2 protein evaluation systems were compared there was a strong correlation between PBV and DCP. Ammonia was the only constituent of the rumen whose concentration was strongly correlated with the milk urea concentration. Taken together with earlier data the present results suggest that a milk urea concentration between 4.0 and 5.5 mmol/l should be regarded as normal at least when cows are fed conventional feedstuffs.