Abstract #10: Full
Effect of Rumen-Protected Methionine Supplementation on Milk Production in Dairy Cows
1Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996. 2Balchem Corp., New Hampton, NY.
Methionine (Met) is essential to support milk and milk protein synthesis. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a rumen-protected Met (RP-Met) prototype on milk production and plasma metabolite concentrations in dairy cows. Ten multiparous Holstein cows (76 ± 17 days in milk) were used in a 5 × 5 duplicated Latin Square with 18 d treatment periods. Cows were randomly assigned to either a Met deficient control diet (-16.4 g/d of MP-Met; -CTL), -CTL supplemented with Smartamine-M (28.7 g/d of RP-Met; SA), or one of three levels of a RP-Met prototype (Balchem Corporation, New Hampton, NY) to provide 1.0 (31.6 g/d of RP-Met; 1.0Met), 1.25 (38.9 g/d of RP-Met; 1.25Met), or 1.5 (47.3 g/d of RP-Met; 1.5Met) times the amount of DL-Met supplied by Smartamine-M. The prototype contained 69% Met. Feed ingredients and milk and blood samples were collected and analyzed. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedure of SAS 9.4 and reported as least square means ± SEM. Compared with -CTL, SA, 1.25Met, and 1.5Met decreased (P = 0.02) lactose percent by 1.3%. Relative to -CTL, SA tended to increase milk protein content (P = 0.07). Relative to -CTL and SA, 1.0M, 1.25M, and 1.5M treatments tended to maintain milk protein content. Relative to -CTL, SA and Met1.5 increased plasma Met concentrations (27.9 vs. 38.1 and 32.6 µM, respectively; P < 0.01). Compared with SA, 1M, 1.25M, and 1.5M treatments support similar plasma methionine concentrations. In summary, SA and 1.5M treatments increased plasma methionine concentrations. Smartamine-M tended to promote milk protein content, however protein yield was not affected.
Keywords: dairy cows, milk protein, rumen-protected methionine
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