Effects of Microencapsulated Methionine on Milk Production and Manure Nitrogen Excretions of Lactating Dairy Cows

: The study objective was to determine the effects of rumen-protected methionine (Met) by microencapsulation (RPM) on amino acid (AA) supply to the udder, milk production, and manure nitrogen (N) losses of dairy cows. A corn and soybean-based diet deficient in metabolizable Met (~10 g/d) was supplemented with RPM providing 0, 11.0, 19.3, and 27.5 g/d of Met. Dry matter intake (DMI), milk production, plasma essential AA (EAA), mammary plasma flow (MPF), and fecal (FN) and urinary N (UN) outputs (g/d) were determined. The RPM increased linearly milk yield, milk protein yield, and energy corrected milk yield (p < 0.040) without affecting DMI. Milk protein yield increased by 50 g/d for the 19.3 vs. 0 g/d dose (p = 0.006) but the rate of increment decreased for 27.5 g/d dose. Plasma Met, and MPF increased linearly with RPM dose (p < 0.050). Apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein (p = 0.020) and FN (p = 0.081) decreased linearly with RPM. The UN did not change but total manure N decreased linearly with RPM (p = 0.054). The RPM (19.3 g/d) seemed to help cows overcome the metabolizable Met deficiency while mitigating manure N excretions to the environment.