In the modern dairy cow ration, the first limiting amino acid is often methionine. Methionine has several important functions in the animal body. It is used for protein synthesis, as a methyl donor or as a precursor for glutathione, an important anti-oxidant. For dairy cows specifically, methionine is a driver of protein percentage in the milk.
Challenges in livestock farming are nowadays the adequate feeding of the high producing cows and in the future the obligations to increase the nitrogen efficiency. These extra factors put pressure on sufficient amino acid nutrition. Close consideration of methionine during formulating is therefore of high importance.
When including a source of rumen protected methionine in the ration, it is important to consider both the protection in the rumen and the availability in the intestine. Supplemented methionine needs to bypass the rumen and needs to be available on intestinal level. The protective layer must be broken down in the digestive tract at the site of the small intestine. Not all products have an efficient protection.
Excential Rumenpass MET has shown in vivo:
- To have an high rumen protection
- To be available for the cow in the small intestine
Availability can depend on region.
