IntroductionBuffaloes are globally important dairy animals, but their low feed nitrogen utilization efficiency and excessive dietary rumen-degradable protein (RDP) results in aggravated nitrogen pollution and high breeding costs. Studies on the optimal RDP levels for 7–10-month-old dairy buffalo heifers remain scarce, limiting precise nutritional management.Materials and methodsDairy buffalo heifers (n = 36, 7–10-month-old, 193.39 ± 4.10 kg) were selected, and randomly assigned to six groups (n