Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Middle Gangetic Plains Cattle Using Spot Urine PDC index

A study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of Middle Gangetic Plains cattle by using spot urine PDC index; total 120 farmers were selected as per stratified random design (SRD) from urban, periurban and rural area of Middle Gangetic Plains. Ruminal microbial nitrogen flow and daily TDN intake was estimated by putting the purine derivatives creatinine (PDC) index in suitable band. The estimated TDN intake was compared to the TDN requirement of cattle to assess the nutritional status of animals. The microbial nitrogen outflow and estimated TDN intake did not show any variation between different areas’ cattle and it was ranged between 102.76 to 110.39 g N/d and 3.30 to 3.57 kg/d, respectively. PDC index of urban area cattle fell in band IV whereas periurban and rural area cattle index fell in band III. The corresponding TDN intake was compared with required TDN intake and found that the crossbred cattle of the urban area (3.38–4.18 kg/d vs 4.51 kg/d), periurban area (2.58–3.38 kg/d vs 4.41 kg/d) and rural area (2.58–3.38 kg/d vs 3.66 kg/d) were deficient in TDN intake. From the results, it is concluded that the PDC index in spot urine samples of cattle could be used to assess the nutritional status of cattle and thus, suitable feed supplementation strategy can be implemented for improving the cattle production and health.