You have probably seen articles and heard about balancing dairy rations to better meet the amino acid needs of dairy cattle.

The last few years we have seen a higher level of interest than ever before. This was primarily due to the premiums received for components, an interest in reducing ration costs and the ease of doing so with today’s ration formulation software. In addition, balancing the amino acid levels in the ration typically reduces the total crude protein level fed and the amount of nitrogen excreted. It optimizes amino acid levels in the ration so the dairy cow’s requirements for protein are better met. Remember, muscles and enzymes are all proteins, and building proteins requires the right combinations of amino acids.

Quite honestly, we are smarter about and better at balancing rations today than ever before. Twenty to 30 years ago, we were just identifying methionine and lysine as the first two limiting amino acids. When in short supply in the ration, they place a ceiling on or limit production. When we introduced the first rumen-bypass methionine, it was considered a feed additive – an add-on in hopes of a production response. Today we know differently. Rumen bypass methionine clearly is a nutrient, a feed ingredient, in the ration.

Likewise, ration formulation software was in its infancy 20 years ago. Today’s advanced ration formulation software simplifies and streamlines ration formulation. Balancing the ration’s amino acid levels to reduce costs and increase production can be an easy routine.

See a consistent response
We routinely tell nutritionists and producers that now is the time to begin balancing rations for amino acids. Why? Well, for quite a number of reasons. Let’s start with its almost unparalleled consistency of response. From years of experience, we know that most producers will see increases in milk components.

Spence Driver, a dairy nutritionist at Vita Plus, recently noted, “There really hasn’t been anything that we’ve done in terms of formulating diets for cows that has had such a consistent and predictable impact on animal performance and profitability.” Vita Plus has been balancing amino acid levels in rations for more than a decade.

In Arizona, independent dairy nutritionist Ueli Zaugg agrees. He began balancing rations for amino acids about 10 years ago and now does so for approximately 80 percent of his clients, who he says, “definitely have above-average milk protein levels.”

Reduce your ration costs
The ability to reduce ration costs by balancing the amino acid levels in rations has the attention of more nutritionists and producers. Charles Schwab, a professor of animal science at the University of New Hampshire, has worked with amino acid balancing for more than three decades. In his words, “I continue to see a tendency in commercial herds to overfeed protein. When they overfeed protein, then quality isn’t quite so important, but it comes at an expense.”

Many herd managers are used to and comfortable with feeding 18 to 19 percent crude protein levels and are not about to change, according to Schwab. “They think a diet with 16 to 17 percent protein is inferior. Yet, by reducing crude protein from 18 percent to 16 percent when feeding 50 pounds of dry matter per cow per day, the producer saves a pound of protein per cow per day and gains production.

“I’d rather put a pound of something in there that the rumen bacteria will respond to, like fermentable carbohydrate. We know that a pound of fermentable carbohydrate is probably good for another pound or two of milk. Wouldn’t you rather take something out of the diet that is an excess and put something in that will give you more milk?”

He notes that when milk prices are really low and feed prices are really high, it is time to really fine-tune diets. “Fine-tune them as much as you can to eliminate waste and maximize use. It’s like soil testing and fertilization. When margins are slim, that’s when you really want to fine-tune things.”

The return on investment, while attractive today, will increase as milk prices and component premiums increase. Even at today’s levels, though, nutritionists project amino acid balancing will deliver about a 2-to-1 return on investment, possibly better.

In addition, the reduced nitrogen excretions will support governmental environmental regulations, regulations that remain under discussion.

Are there more benefits yet to be discovered?
Some may ask, “Do other reasons exist to balance the amino acid levels in rations?” Possibly. Amino acids are nutrients required by the cow. Improving the cow’s nutritional status would seem to bode well for her health status. Optimizing amino acid levels certainly could affect more than production, ration costs and nitrogen excretion.

Based on the comments and questions we receive, several new areas of research may be warranted. Some producers tell us their heifers and cows show heat better, “better than ever.” Likewise, they see improved breed-backs. We have some scientific evidence for this but would like to do more research in this area.

Others tell us they see a difference in hooves and feet. They spend less on hoof trimmers, and their veterinarians comment on how much better the cows’ feet look. We’d like to prove this is real, too.

In theory, it makes sense. Hooves contain large amounts of collagen. Collagen is very high in methionine and cystine, just like hair and feathers. That is why these are the first limiting amino acids in poultry rations.

Today, the need for and practice of balancing the amino acids in the herds’ rations are well understood. The short-term benefits to production are relatively easy to project. The ability to impact herd health and reproductive performance need to be explored further, but they could be very real. PD

Brian Sloan
Director
Ruminant Business
brian.sloan@adisseo.com