Lipid microspheres containing urea for slow release of non-protein N in ruminant diets
Antonio Joelson Netto A , Aderbal Marcos de Azevedo Silva A , Leilson Rocha Bezerra
A , Ariádne de Barros Carvalho A , Deuber Lincon da Silva Agostini B , Diego Lomonaco Vasconcelos de Oliveira C , Selma Elaine Mazzetto C , Lloyd Ryan Viana Kotzebue C , Jéssica Ribeiro Oliveira C , Ronaldo Lopes Oliveira D , José Morais Pereira Filho A and André Leandro da Silva A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Campina Grande, Avenue Universitária, Caixa Postal 61, 58700000 Patos, Paraíba, Brazil.
B Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, State University of São Paulo, Rua Roberto Simonsen, 305, 19060900 Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil.
C Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Federal University of Ceará, Rua do Contorno, 60451970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
D Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia, Avenue Adhemar de Barros, 500, Ondina, 40170110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Animal Production Science 62(2) 191-200 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN20694
Submitted: 14 January 2021 Accepted: 1 September 2021 Published: 11 October 2021
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Urea is widely used in ruminant diets as a source of non-protein nitrogen (NPN), partially substituting for true protein in feed, but high levels of urea in the diet may cause toxicity.
Aims: This study investigated the microencapsulation of urea in carnauba wax for slow release in the rumen to improve the N efficiency and growth of sheep.
Methods: Two microencapsulated systems were developed with urea:carnauba wax ratios (w/w) of 1:2 (U12) and 1:4 (U14). Based on the initial characterisation, only U12 was examined in an in vivo experiment with Santa Ines crossbred male sheep (n = 40) initially weighing 28 ± 0.6 kg at 270 days of age. The experimental arrangement was a completely randomised design, and the animals were distributed into four treatments; i.e. four levels of inclusion (0, control; 15; 30; and 45 g/kg DM) of microencapsulated urea in the diet.
Key results: The dietary inclusion of microencapsulated urea was associated with linear increases (P ≤ 0.05) in the intake of DM and metabolisable energy, the digestibility of crude protein, non-fibrous carbohydrates and fibre fractions, and N balance. Additionally, liveweight gain and feed efficiency increased quadratically (P < 0.001). There were also linear reductions (P < 0.001) in blood urea and urinary urea concentrations.
Conclusions: The study demonstrated that the inclusion of up to 30 g/kg U12 microencapsulated urea can be recommended as a source of slow-release urea in sheep diets since it improved the performance and feed efficiency and promoted lower concentrations of blood urea and urinary urea.
Implications: The use of urea microencapsulated in carnauba wax can reduce the risk of urea toxicity and provide a safer way to supply NPN to ruminants and improve N utilisation.
Keywords: agricultural innovations, carnauba wax, food chemistry, microencapsulation, nitrogen, ruminants, sheep nutrition, slow-release urea.
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