Balancing rations for amino acid levels is one potential solution that’s gaining in popularity and takes the following factors into account.

What is it?
Amino acid balancing is a scientifically proven nutritional strategy of feeding limiting amino acids at optimal levels and ratios (approximately 7.5 percent lysine and 2.5 percent methionine as a percentage of metabolizable protein).

When done correctly, it results in increased milk and component production, reduced dietary protein needs, more efficient nutrient utilization and economic benefits.

It is designed to better deliver the building blocks needed to efficiently synthesize protein, which is one of the most important nutrients in dairy cow diets since cows depend on protein for all bodily functions – from immune-system regulation to growth and reproduction to milk and component production. In addition, the practice helps maintain peak performance and lessen a dairy’s environmental impact.

Plus, balancing rations with supplemental amino acids helps ensure proper levels of lysine and methionine – the two most limiting amino acids– are delivered to the small intestine to enhance protein production. These amino acids cannot be synthesized from other amino acids or precursors, meaning they must be supplemented in the diet.

When these amino acids are delivered properly, cows can more efficiently use dietary protein to increase productivity and health. This is where the opportunity to lower total dietary protein occurs and gives producers nutritional flexibility that can result in improved dairy financial performance.

How low can you go?
The answer to this question relies on the herd’s current total dietary protein levels and ration ingredients used. Many herds significantly overfeed protein in an attempt to ensure proper amino acid supplementation.

Herds that overfeed protein at higher levels will be able to reduce protein levels (more so than herds with lower dietary protein levels).

Decreasing total dietary protein is important for four key reasons. That’s because overfeeding results in:

  • Lowered lysine and methionine concentrations in metabolizable protein – Most sources of supplemental rumen-undegradable protein contain low concentrations of lysine, methionine or both relative to optimal concentrations.

  • Lowered milk production – Surplus rumen-undegradable protein usually replaces dietary fermentable carbohydrates, the primary sources for milk component synthesis.

  • A more expensive diet – Most sources of supplemental protein are more costly.

  • Increased urinary and fecal nitrogen – This is due to lower conversions of feed protein to milk protein.

It’s not unusual for producers to be able to successfully lower dietary crude protein levels by a full percentage point as long as lysine and methionine are fed at optimal levels. Even half a percentage point reduction can be significant to financial and animal performance.

Keep in mind that as amino acids are delivered to the diet, production improvements may not be seen immediately. These protein building blocks may be needed first for more growth or to reduce health concerns. However, as the diet approaches optimal levels of supplementation, improvements will appear in milk and component production levels.

New tools
Today’s advanced ration formulation software – with its focus on rumen-degradable protein rather than on crude protein – and better bypass lysine sources allow nutritionists to more precisely balance rations for optimal levels of amino acids.

For example, commodity sources rich in amino acid sources, like blood meal, are sometimes used to balance rations for amino acids.

But research conducted at Ohio State University demonstrates just how variable and inconsistent blood meal can be – the lysine content in each load was shown to be markedly different, making it impossible to ensure diets contained consistent, let alone optimal, levels. This matters for ration balancing as well as cow performance.

Commercial bypass lysine sources now available allow producers and nutritionists to consistently balance rations for optimal levels of amino acids. In short, these sources remove the guesswork associated with amino acid balancing.

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As a result, consistent lysine delivery to the cow’s small intestine improves herd production performance and nutrient utilization. In turn, this aids a dairy’s bottom line.

Financial impact
When implementing amino acid balancing, U.S. nutritionists typically report a return on investment (ROI) of 2.5 or higher when balancing for lysine and methionine in metabolizable protein. Research showed an average ROI of 3.35 to one in a 10-herd study conducted in 2006. The ROI ranged from 1.1 to 5.5 for the 10 individual herds.

In addition, increases in butterfat content and milk production are also common when balancing rations for amino acids – which also contribute to a favourable ROI.

Furthermore, reducing total dietary protein levels has saved dairy producers from $0.05 to $0.60 per cow per day depending on available protein sources and the reduction from previous dietary protein levels.

You can also evaluate whether feed ingredients and practices generate additional income using IOFC. The calculation subtracts the feed cost from the income generated by milk and component production.

Greater income over feed cost with amino acid balancing
Table 1 highlights how amino acid balancing fared on nine U.S. dairies in several locations. In conclusion, amino acid balancing presents dairy producers and nutritionists with a significant opportunity to better meet cows’ nutritional needs and directly – and positively – impact a dairy’s financial performance.

If you haven’t yet explored this strategy, the new tools and models available suggest now is the perfect time to do so. PD

References omitted due to space but are available upon request. Click here to email an editor.

Elliot Block is the senior manager of technology for Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition.

Elliot Block
  • Elliot Block
  • Senior Manager of Technology
  • Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition