VIRGINIA ISHLER STATE COLLEGE (Centre
iU Dairy., Animal Science Co.) Pennsylvania DHIA is
•HAOHIA INTRODUCES
Milk grea Nitrogen TESTING ON OCTOBER 1
EanraißS of MUN Testing
Milk Urea Nitrogen Testing Is
§ Protein is the most costly ingredient in dairy rations.
Some farms overfeed protein by 10-20%.
Overfeeding protein by 20%. would cost producers about S5O/cow/yeai
> 100 cows = SoOOO/year
Cost of MUN testing is 15e/cow/month
MUN testing can signal excess protein feeding or energy imbalance. I
adjustments are made it could significantly improve the efficiency of r
production and conception rate.
To learn more, contact PA DHIA
a . I
offering an additional manage
ment tool, milk urfca nitrogen
analysis, which can monitor- the
ruea concentration in milk.
This is another method to moni
tor your herd’s performance along
with other records and pertinent
information.
Milk urea nitrogen or MUN
measures the efficiency by which
nitrogen is utilized by the animal.
Nitrogen is an essential compo
nent for rumen microorganisms
and the production of microbial
protein.
Ammonia (NH 1 ) results from
the microbial degradation of
feedstuff).
The rumen microbes use fer-
Monitoring Tool
mentable carbohydrates to pro
vide energy and organic acids in
combination with ammonia to
form amino acids and subsequent
ly microbial protein.
When rumen ammonia con
centrations exceed the ability of
rumen microbes to incorporate
ammonia into microbial protein,
ammonia is absorbed through the
rumen wall, converted to urea by
the liver, and high levels are found
in blood, serum, or milk.
If ruminal ammonia concentra
tions are low, this can also be
reflected as low MUN’s.
When MUN values are too low
or too high, then problems may
exist in the ration which can
1-800-DHI-TEST
(1-800-344-8378)
i’iT'i* (■'■ ■» Vft e r ■*v•• r* vI • -i- ’..i. .'.i’
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 30.1H8-A23
i *
WOOD**^ 1 ®
i
r Hot air/Hot water/Domestic water \
$ CHUCKWOOD SALES AND SERVICE ?
I WOOOMASTER DEALER \
I ROXBURY, PA \
(717) 532-5820 *
Hot Water Outdoor Wood Furnace
impair animal performance,
reduce economic efficiency, and
affect environmental pollution.
The primary areas in nutrition
that affect MUN levels are total
crude protein intake, degradable
and soluble protein intake, and the
amount and type of nonstructural
carbohydrates supplied in the
ration.
The following areas should be
examined closely in a ration prog
ram if MUN levels are higher than
what is considered normal: * Ex
cess crude protein in the ration
* Excess levels of degradable
intake protein * Excess levels of
soluble intake protein * A combi
nation of any of the first three
items * Inadequate nonstructunl
carbohydrates and excess protein.
Lower than normal levels of
MUN’s may indicate: * Excess
nonstructural carbohydrates and
inadequate protein * Deficiency
of soluble intake protein * Defi
ciency of degradable intake pro
tein • Excess level of undegrad
able intake protoin.
These are some areas in nutri
tion that would need to be eva
luated. However, MUN values are
not meant to be used as the sole
indicator of a possible problem.
MUN’s ate an additional TOOL.
You need to use other informa
tion in conjunction with MUN’s to
evaluate the herd such as records
on reproduction and health perfor
mance. milk fat and protein levels,
and diet composition through
analysis of forage, feed, and
TMRs.