EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS AND UREA SUPPLEMENTATION ON MILK YIELD AND COMPOSITION IN LACTATING BUNAJI COWS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Phosphorus and Urea as supplements for milk production in Bunaji cows. In this study, on farm evaluation of five dietary treatments on milk production were conducted.Three lactating Bunaji cows were allocated to a treatment in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD). The Treatments were negative control (NC), positive control (PC), urea (U) and Single Super Phosphate (P) fertilizers and U+P. Results obtained revealed that, the treatments (P<0.05) affected the ash, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) contents. Significant (P<0.05) difference existed between NC and PC for ash (3.60% vs 4.50%). NC, P and U+P s upplementation affected DM (P<0.05). The highest daily milk yield (1.64kg) was obtained from U+P treatment. A significant (P<0.05) difference existed between NC and PC in ash (0.78±0.02% vs 0.65±0.04%) and the Fat (3.3±0.11% vs 2.3±0.29%). Trend of milk production increased from day 0 to day 90 with a 3 times increase in milk yield from U+P treatment. Minerals in milk of cows supplemented with U+P significantly (P<0.05) affected Ca P and K. It is therefore concluded that U+P treatment was superior amongst the treatments thus, supplementation of Bunaji dams with U+P is recommended for increased milk production in Sudan Savannah Zone of Nigeria.