Effects of Quality and Amounts of Dietary Protein on Dairy Cattle Reproduction and the Environment

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to review the effects of quality and amounts of dietary protein on dairy cattle reproduction and the environment. Protein supplementation is one of important nutrient in dairy production. But, an excess amount of protein beyond the requirements of dairy cow affects reproduction as well as the environment. Protein is needed to meet nitrogen requirements of rumen microorganisms as well as used as a direct source of protein for milking cows. An excess amount of rumen degradable protein can be excreted into the environments and impose an impact on it. Excess rumen degradable protein also results in high amounts of ammonia in the blood of dairy cow when there is no sufficient amount of energy to convert ammonia into microbial protein. In addition, conversion of excess ammonia is energy demanding which can result in negative energy balance. This excess ammonia and negative energy balance result in reduced reproductive performance in dairy cows. Therefore, it is important to optimize rumen degradable and rumen undegradable protein content of diets and synchronization of protein with energy is best strategies to overawed ammonia pollution and reproductive problem in the dairy cows. Keywords: