Applying the appropriate nutritional matrix for methionine sources will result in feed cost optimization, by optimizing complete feed Crude Protein & energy values (metabolizable or net energy). Due to its nutritional and molecular values and its relative cost, OH-Methionine is the best option while formulating optimal diets, especially when its validated matrix is completely applied.
Global Category Manager
for Rhodimet® AT88
Adisseo
Scientific and Technical
Solution Developer
Adisseo
The nutritional value of a food is defined by USDA as “the nutrients compounds of a food and their molecular relations”. Based on this definition, we can state that the nutritional matrix of a complete ration, or of its individual ingredients and additives, includes both their inherent nutritional content (i.e., protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, etc.) and any additional indirect benefits it offers. These last ones gather a wide range of benefits such as the improvement of animal’s state of health, feed quality, availability, digestibility and absorption of nutrients. A classic example are enzymes, for which the nutritional value is derived from their action on other factors.
The application of an appropriate and scientifically proven nutritional matrix remains fundamental for getting the maximum value from any feed formulated to match animal requirements, while optimizing its cost.
IMPORTANCE OF APPLYING UPDATED FORMULATION MATRIX VALUE FOR METHIONINE SOURCES
Can a methionine source bring extra values while applying its nutritional matrix values? The answer is yes, and in particular if we look to a source of OH-methionine in liquid form. In fact, this source of methionine, known as Hydroxy-Analogue of Methionine (OH-Methionine) or HMTBa “DL-2-hydroxy-(4-methylthio) butanoic acid” (ADISSEO Rhodimet® AT88) can deliver extra values. Besides its main function to supply methionine and cysteine, OH-Methionine owns other proven nutritional and molecular features that can benefit all stakeholders involved in livestock business: commercial feed miller, integrated group, and farmers.
Feed millers will have high flexibility in raw material selection and feed formulation with consequent feed cost reduction, allowing them to successfully thrive in this very competitive market. The integrator will register a positive impact of the optimized diets on animal performances, and thus the cost per kg of animal origin products. Finally, farmers will benefit from buying feed at lower cost without compromising animal performance.
OH-METHIONINE: A 100% EFFICIENT SOURCE OF METHIONINE
Rhodimet® AT88 is a source of Methionine+Cysteine with 100% efficacy and 88% of active ingredient, equivalent to 880 g of L-Methionine per each kg of commercial product, after animals’ synthesis. The real value of Rhodimet AT88 is quite established and has been demonstrated in many studies done over the years. One example is a large-scale field trial, in which more than 1 million broilers over a period of 10 months were fed various diets supplemented with DL-Methionine or OH-Methionine at equimolar level. All the analyzed zootechnical performances (Feed Intake, Feed Conversion Ratio, Average Daily Gain and Final Body Weight) were not statistically different (Figure 1). Furthermore, two meta-analyses studies including the most recent scientific publications in broilers and piglets, demonstrated no statistical differences between the various sources of methionine. More recently, a scientific trial designed with a statistically robust experimental design (35 replications per group conferring a high statistical power to the test) once again did not show any statistical difference between the two groups receiving DL-Methionine or OH-Methionine at equimolar level. Performance parameters were also submitted to an innovative statistical approach that confirmed again the equivalence between the two groups.
USE OF A CRUDE PROTEIN VALUE FOR OH-METHIONINE IN FORMULATION
In the feed industry we tend to refer to crude protein (CP) as reference of the protein content of each diet. Crude protein principle is also used as reference for qualitative/quantitative feed analysis, and it is calculated multiplying the nitrogen level of a diet by a constant factor 6.25. The principle of crude protein is nowadays criticized by pointing out its various limitations. At first, not all nitrogen sources are proteins. Secondly, not all protein sources have the same nitrogen content and thus must have a different constant factor. For instance, for most grains and soybean, the most appropriate factor must be 5.7-5.8 rather than 6.25. If we apply the same principle to amino acids, we will have cases with a very low CP value as well as others showing a CP level significantly higher than 100%.
One specific case is that of OH-methionine. From a nutritional point of view it is scientifically proven to be equivalent to other sources of methionine. However, it could not have a CP level due to the absence of a nitrogen group. Formulating with OH-Methionine to match the methionine requirements, without assigning any CP level, will negatively impact the feed formula optimization. This is because the formulation system will compensate for its CP level using other protein sources, with consequent feed cost increase. To address this, ADISSEO recommends applying the equivalent CP level of 51.7% for Rhodimet AT88, calculated considering the 88% of CP level of the DL-Met form.
USE OF RECOMMENDED ENERGY VALUE FOR OH-METHIONINE IN FORMULATION
A specific analysis must be done while evaluating both Metabolizable (ME) or Net Energy (NE) of the various methionine sources. To assign the energy value of any product, we start with determination of Gross Energy (GE), the intrinsic energy that turns into heat. Considering the complete digestibility of all crystalline amino acids, their Digestible Energy (DE) is 100% and then equal to the GE. After fixing these, we can calculate the ME deducting from the GE/DE the fraction lost via the urine.
But why do different methionine sources have variable ME-NE levels? It is well known that all methionine sources are used by animals after being metabolized into L-Methionine form, however each of them will have their specific metabolic pathways. Since OH-Methionine has a different metabolic pathway rather than L-Met/DL-Met, this will result in a different ME and NE level.
The detailed metabolic pathways and consequent determination of ME and NE levels were explained in a recent published paper (Van Milgen et al. 2019). Briefly OH-Methionine has a NH2 sparing effect, by recycling an amino group derived from other amino acids in excess. This will prevent the excretion of these amino groups in excess under uric acid that lead to energy savings.
CONCLUSION
Applying the appropriate nutritional matrix for methionine sources will result in feed cost optimization, by optimizing complete feed crude protein & energy values (metabolizable or net energy). Due to its nutritional and molecular values and its relative cost, OH-Methionine is the best option while formulating optimal diets, especially when its validated matrix is completely applied. On average considering a price ratio of 88/99% for the OH-Met and DL-Met, applying the full matrix values will allow a cost saving of about 0.30 €/ton of typical broiler feed. Considering the inclusion rate of 3 kg/ton, this means a benefit of 0.10 €/kg OH-Met applied. All other savings will be extra benefits for the feed producers.
Literature available upon request.
About Nicola Tallarico
Nicola Tallarico graduated as an agriculture engineer at the University of Bologna in 1995 and completed the Ph.D in zootechnical science at University of Milan in 2001. After graduating, Tallarico started to cooperate with the Department of Poultry Science of the University of Bologna, during which followed various nutritional studies with more than 30 scientific papers published. In 2003, Nicola Tallarico joined an Italian company specialized in encapsulation technologies as technical-sales manager, and after the acquisition of this unit by a multinational company, Nicola joined them and moved to Belgium in 2010. Here he acts as Technical Service and Product Manager for technological additives, and in the last period as Regional Director for the EMENA regions. At the beginning of 2022, Tallarico joined Adisseo as Global Category Manager for the Methionine Units, sharing his technical knowledge with the global market.About Tahir Mahmood
Tahir Mahmood completed his Ph.D. in poultry nutrition from University of Agricultura Faisalabad, Pakistan in 2017 followed by a Post doctorate in poultry nutrition from China Agricultural University. He joined amino acid research team of Adisseo in 2020 as amino acid research scientist. In Adisseo, his main research interests are amino acids nutrition and successful development of low protein diets for poultry. In his current role, he collaborates with leading experts from both academics and industry. Mahmood regularly publishes peer-reviewed articles on various topics in leading journals of poultry nutrition. He is originally from Pakistan and is based in Lyon, France.
