Survey of effect of slow-release non-protein nitrogen components, Isobutyraldehyde mono urea and Optigen on ruminal parameters and nutrient digestibility in sheep

Reducing the degradation rate of urea is one strategy for improving the utilization of urea by ruminants and a number of slow release urea products have been developed for this purpose. This study was conducted to evaluate and comparison of two slow release non-protein nitrogen components, Isobutyraldehyde mono urea and Optigen on ruminal parameters and nutrient digestibility in sheep.
Isobutyraldehyde mono urea made by connecting branched carbon chain to the molecule of urea to reduce its degree of solubility and chemical structure and physical and chemical characteristics of made samples surveyed. The effects of this compound on rumen fermentation characteristics, digestibility of feed, microbial protein production and nitrogen balance were compared with Optigen and conventional use of urea in an in-vivo study. For this purpose, four rumen fistulated adult Farahani sheep were used in change over Latin square experimental design.
Infrared and NMR spectrums also physical and chemical characteristics of prepared sample showed that desired compound produced. Using Isobutyraldehyde and Optigen in the diet reduced rumen nitrogen concentration at 30 min and 1 hour after feed intake in comparison to Urea while no difference between slow release compounds were observed. At 2 hours after feed intake, urea diet has the highest value of rumen ammonia nitrogen concentration (10.77 mg/dl) and IBAMU diet has the lowest (4.80 mg/dl) and Optigen diet (6.34 mg/dl) placed between them (p The results showed that the slow release compounds of non-protein nitrogen have the potential to substitute urea and usage of them in ruminant diets compare to the traditional use of urea nitrogen provides safer conditions although maybe haven’t better effects than urea nitrogen in all conditions.