Rumen Metabolic Changes in Zebu Cattle and Buffalo Fed on Urea and Molasses Based Diets

Protein and NPN are known to contribute largely to ammonia pool in the rumen. The amount thus formed is mostly dependent on the type and quality of protein and carbohydrate in the diet. There is little doubt that all classes of carbohydrates (cellulose, starch or sugars) can well be utilized using ammonia as the major nitrogen source and about 80 per cent rumen bacteria could be grown with ammonia as a sole nitrogen source.