Concentrations of amino acids and urea in the plasma of the ruminating calf and estimation of the amino acid requirements

Abstract

1. A study was made of factors affecting the plasma concentrations of free amino acids (PAA) and urea (PU) in calves receiving approximately equal daily amounts of concentrates (flaked maize and protein supplements) and straw, the former at 10.00 and 17.00 hours, the latter at 17.00 hours only. 2. For calves receiving a diet containing 20 g nitrogen/kg dry matter in which the protein supplement was decorticated, extracted groundnut meal (DCGM) (diet A) there were marked increases in PAA and PU about 1–2 h after a morning feed, then a fall in these values 2 h later to a level which was maintained for the next 3 h. No similar changes occurred after the evening feed. Samples taken 3 h after the morning feed were used in subsequent comparative experiments. There was much more variation between animals than within animals in total PAA, PU and the concentrations of most individual amino acids in these samples. 3. Total PAA and most individual amino acid concentrations were not appreciably affected when the DCGM intake was reduced to give 10 g N/kg dry matter in the diet (diet C), but PU was halved. When maize gluten replaced DCGM as the protein supplement at the higher N intake (diet B) then PU doubled, but again total PAA and most individual amino acid concentrations were little affected. Exceptions were arginine, which was halved, and leucine, which was doubled. 4. Infusions of more than 4·4 g L-methionine/d into the abomasums of calves (110–160 kg live weight) receiving diet A led to a marked increase in plasma methionine concentration. This was considered to correspond with the point at which methionine requirements were met. Using a chromic oxide marker to estimate flows of methionine and cystine from the rumen to the duodenum, it was calculated that under these conditions the methionine requirement was 9·8 g/d, with a cystine flow of 4·9 g/d. Similar calculations showed the corresponding value to be 7·5 g/d with a cystine flow of 2·8 g/d for calves receiving diet C. 5. Infusion of increasing levels of L-lysine into the abomasums of calves (110–160 kg live weight) receiving diet B led to a progressive increase in plasma lysine concentration. There was no consistent change in the rate of increase with increasing amounts infused. Estimated lysine requirement appeared therefore to be less than the flow of lysine from the rumen to the duodenum under these conditions (18·8 g/d).