The objective of this work was to evaluate effect of based-soybean or cottonseed meal concentrate rations in diets with corn silage on nitrogen balance (NB) and microbial protein production in growing dairy females. diets consisted of the combination of two levels of concentrate ration, 1 or 2 kg, and two protein sources, soybean meal or cottonseed meal. The animals that consumed 2 kg of concentrate ration showed greater total nitrogen intake, however, there was no significant effect on fecal-N, urine-N and nitrogen balance. The interaction among the concentrade levels and the protein source affected the urine uric N (N-urine) but did not change the levels of ureic nitrogen in the plasma. Levels of concentrate and protein sources did not affect concentrations of total purine and allantoin in the urine, the percentage of allantoin regarded to total purine, the levels of uric acid in the urine, microbial nitrogen neither the microbial efficiency. The supply of 1 or 2 kg of concentrate ration for growing dairy heifers, using soybean meal or cottonseed meal as protein sources does not affect microbial efficiency, although the supply of 2 kg of concentrate ration causes N waste in feces.
dairy heifers; microbial protein; nitrogen balance; purine derivatives
