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Exploring the biology of energy and protein utilization in non-ruminant animals to improve nutrient utilization efficiencies

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Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production

Abstract

In this review, bioavailability of energy and amino acid, and the biological processes that contribute to nutrient utilization efficiency in non-ruminant animals are discussed. Key limitations of using digestible energy, metabolizable energy, net energy and standardized ileal amino acid digestibility values in diet formulation are highlighted. A modelling system based on nutrient flows is suggested to improve accuracy of representing energy utilization. In nutrient flow models dietary energy sources are characterized based on content and enzymatic digestibility or fermentability of energy yielding nutrients, while the use of nutrients for the various body functions is explicitly represented. In various species animal performance is sensitive to synchronized supply of nutrients; in these cases the dynamics of nutrient absorption should be considered. In regards to amino acid utilization, the effect of microbial fermentation in the upper gut and metabolic inefficiency associated endogenous gut amino acid losses remain to be quantified more accurately. Especially in heat treated ingredients some amino acids may be absorbed in a form that renders them unavailable for metabolism by the animal. Maintenance energy requirements contribute substantially to total energy requirements, and are best expressed as requirements at the cellular level in ATP equivalents. Between animal variability is a key determinant of inefficiency of nutrient use in groups of animals. Various approaches that may be pursued to improve efficiencies of using protein and other energy yielding nutrients are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    C. F. M. de Lange & H. R. Martínez-Ramírez

  2. South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA

    C. L. Levesque

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  1. C. F. M. de Lange
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  2. C. L. Levesque
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  3. H. R. Martínez-Ramírez
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Correspondence to C. F. M. de Lange .

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James W. Oltjen Ermias Kebreab Hélène Lapierre

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de Lange, C.F.M., Levesque, C.L., Martínez-Ramírez, H.R. (2013). Exploring the biology of energy and protein utilization in non-ruminant animals to improve nutrient utilization efficiencies. In: Oltjen, J.W., Kebreab, E., Lapierre, H. (eds) Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production. Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production, vol 134. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-781-3_42

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