Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Webcast Series January 16, 2009

Mitigation of Nitrogen Excretion

through Dietary Manipulations

Mark Hanigan, Jactone Arrogo, Linsey

Marr, and Katharine Knowlton
Virginia Tech

Nitrogen (N) Conversion Efficiencies

for Different Production Systems
50
45
N Efficiency (%)

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
Lactating Growing Growing Pig Egg Growing
Dairy Cow Beef Production Broiler

Bequette et al., 2003

N Efficiency (%) = Product N / Diet N * 100
2

Environmental Impact of Waste N

Eutrophication Air Quality and High N Rain

Archived presentation available at: http://www.extension.org/pages/Feeding_Strategies_To_Reduce_Animal_Air_Emissions_Webcast

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 Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Webcast Series January 16, 2009

Feed Urea
Protein
Microbe
Protein
Amino
Acids

Milk Protein MUN

RDP = Ruminally Degradable Protein

RUP = Ruminally Undegraded Protein

Effects of Dietary Protein (RDP)

on Intake and Milk Yield
NRC 2001 RDP
45
Intake or Milk Yield, kg/d

Requirement

40

35
DMI
8.8% RDP 10.1% RDP 11.3% RDP
30 Milk
7.6% RDP
25 DMI: P = 0.01 (Lin)
Milk yield: P = 0.09 (Lin)
20
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Dietary CP, % of DM

Cyriac et al., 2008

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Effects of Dietary Protein (RDP)

on MUN and N Efficiency
35
MUN or N Efficiency

30

25
MUN mg/dl
N Efficency, %
20

15

10
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Dietary CP, %

N Efficiency (%) = Milk N / Diet N * 100

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Cyriac et al., 2008

Archived presentation available at: http://www.extension.org/pages/Feeding_Strategies_To_Reduce_Animal_Air_Emissions_Webcast

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 Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Webcast Series January 16, 2009

Effects of RDP on Cow

Performance and Excretion
45
40
RDP
35
% of DM
30
*
25 11.3
20 * 8.8
15
10
5
0
DM Intake, Milk, kg/cow/d MUN, mg/dl
kg/cow/d

7
Li et al., submitted

Effects of RDP on N Excretion

and Ammonia Emissions
0.3

0.25 *
RDP
0.2 % of DM

11.3
0.15
8.8
0.1

0.05

0
TKN, kg/pen/d/10 TAN, kg/pen/d Ammonia,
kg/pen/12 h

12 cows per pen

8 Li et al., submitted

Milk Protein MUN

Metabolizable Protein (MP) = RUP + Microbial Protein

Archived presentation available at: http://www.extension.org/pages/Feeding_Strategies_To_Reduce_Animal_Air_Emissions_Webcast

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 Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Webcast Series January 16, 2009

Dietary Energy and Metabolizable Protein

High Energy
40 30 Milk
Low Energy P Energy < 0.01
35 P Protein = 0.08
25
Milk Yield kg/d

30

MUN, mg/dl
20
25
15
20

10
15
Milk, kg/d
10 5
MUN, mg/dl
HE-HP HE-LP LE-HP LE-LP
HE – 1.55 Mcal/kg HP – 17.0% CP
LE – 1.44 Mcal/kg LP – 14.4% CP
10
Ruis et al., 2007

Dietary Energy and Metabolizable

Protein
45 25 Efficiency
MP Efficiency (% into Milk)

40 P Energy < 0.001

35 20 P Protein < 0.001
MUN, mg/dl

30
15
25 MP Efficiency
20 MUN
10
15
10 5
5
0 0
HE-HP HE-LP LE-HP LE-LP
HE – 1.55 Mcal/kg HP – 17.0% CP
LE – 1.44 Mcal/kg LP – 14.4% CP
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Ruis et al., 2007

Summary
1. We can improve N efficiency of Dairy
Cows
a) Reduce RDP below NRC
requirements
b) Reduced RUP will improve efficiency
but lost production results

2. Given all the ethanol byproducts,

↓RDP currently increases Feed Costs
a) Has saved money in the past
b) May again in the future

3. Reduced dietary N leads to reduced

manure N and ammonia emissions
a) Very little N is lost from the barn
b) ↓ ammonia emissions from manure
storage facilities
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c) Huge temperature effects

Archived presentation available at: http://www.extension.org/pages/Feeding_Strategies_To_Reduce_Animal_Air_Emissions_Webcast

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 Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Webcast Series January 16, 2009

References
Bequette, B. J., M. D. Hanigan, H. Lapierre, and J. P. F. D'Mello. 2003. Mammary uptake and
metabolism of amino acids by lactating ruminants. Pages 347-365 in Amino acids in farm
animal nutrition. Vol. 2nd Edition. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.

Cyriac, J., A. G. Rius, M. L. McGilliard, R. E. Pearson, B. J. Bequette, and M. D. Hanigan. 2008.

Lactation Performance of Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows Fed Ruminally Degradable Protein at
Concentrations Lower Than National Research Council Recommendations. J. Dairy Sci.
91(12):4704-4713.

Li, L., J. Cyriac, K. F. Knowlton, L. C. Marr, S. W. Gay, M. D. Hanigan, and J. Arogo Ogejo.
submitted. Effects of reducing dietary nitrogen on ammonia emissions from dairy barn floor.
Journal of Environmental Quality.

Rius, A. G., M. L. McGilliard, and M. D. Hanigan. 2007. Effect of dietary energy and
metabolizable protein in lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 90(Suppl. 1):213.

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Archived presentation available at: http://www.extension.org/pages/Feeding_Strategies_To_Reduce_Animal_Air_Emissions_Webcast