The importance of
balanced Amino Acid rations
for dairy cows
PROTEINS AND AMINO ACIDS
▶Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. All proteins are composed of precise amino acid sequences.
▶There are 20 amino acids.
+100,000
different proteins
Some amino acids are called « essential »
because cows cannot synthesize them on their own.
There are
10 essential
amino acids
The most crucial for milk production are Methionine and Lysine
which are limiting factors for production: without them, even a protein-rich ration will be inefficient.
WITH enough Methionine
& Lysine
WITHOUT enough Methionine
& Lysine
This means that if the diet does not provide enough of these two amino acids,
milk production and protein content in the milk will be capped
even if there are plenty of other amino acids available to the cow.
Most of raw materials do not provide this balance:
Lysine and methionine expressed as % of MP in the INRA system in this graph.
Looking only at the protein content of a feed DOES NOT MAKE SENS
if these two amino acids are not at the adequate level
FOR THE DESIRED MILK PRODUCTION.
WHAT IS AMINO ACIDS BALANCED DIET?
Contains enough Methionine, Lysine and energy to optimize:
Milk production
Milk quality
Contains enough Methionine and Lysine to reduce the amount of ingested protein
and improves:
Cow health
Fertility
Limiting
nitrogen emissions
into the environment
CONSEQUENCES OF EXCESS PROTEINS
AND LACK OF METHIONINE
EXCESS OF PROTEINS
Only around 30% of Nitrogen intake are used for milk production:
Leading to waste
Soil and water
pollution
Greenhouse
gas emissions
LACK OF METHIONINE
Methionine is an essential nutrient for dairy cow. It is crucial for:
Milk production
& components
Liver function
& metabolism
Immune system
support
Reproductive
performance
& overall health
BENEFITS OF BALANCED AMINO ACID RATIONS
PROFITABILITY
Reduced protein
levels in the ration
Lower feeding costs
Intake of rumen
protected methionine
Increased milk
production
Improved milk
composition
Higher protein
and fat content
Improved feed efficiency and profitability
HEALTH
Cover methionine need: less oxidative stress and inflammation
Better transition period management
Fewer diseases
Better health
FERTILITY
Methionine plays a key role in reproduction:
Improved
follicle
quality
Better
uterine
environment
(less
inflammation)
Improved
embryo
composition
(more lipids)
Improved
pregnancy
recognition
(embryo size)
Improved fertility
Peace of mind
Methionine plays a key role in welfare:
Healthier
cows
Fewer
veterinary
treament
Better
quality
of life
Reduced
early
culling
Peace of mind for farmers
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER
Balancing amino acids
is more effective than
focusing on crude protein
CRUDE
PROTEIN
BALANCING
AMINO ACIDS
Methionine is essential
for dairy cows
Using rumen-protected amino acids and reducing crude protein level, help optimize:
MILK
PRODUCTION
MILK
QUALITY
FERTILITY
HEALTH
BETTER nutrition
=
HEALTHIER cows & HIGHER profits
for a more SUSTAINABLE milk production!
