Abstract
Simple SummaryUsing dietary non-protein nitrogen is an effective way to decrease the dependence on protein resources in cattle production. N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) is a structural analogue of N-acetylglutamate (NAG), which is a precursor of endogenous Arg synthesis. NCG improves urea cycling and enhances the endogenous synthesis of Arg, nitric oxide synthase and NO. The present study showed that beef benefited from being fed NCG product in the urea diet by enhancing its growth and slaughter performance, meat quality, nitrogen metabolism and plasma amino acids.The objectives of this experiment were to investigate the effects of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) on growth and slaughter performance, meat quality, nitrogen utilization, plasma antioxidant and amino acids of Holstein bulls. In this case, 24 Holstein bulls (490 ± 29.0 kg of body weights and 540 ± 6.1 d of age) were blocked by body weights and age and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) CON group: bulls were fed the control diet, (2) CON + NCG group: bulls were fed the control diet with 40 mg/kg BW NCG, (3) Urea group: bulls were fed the urea diet, and (4) Urea + NCG group: bulls were fed the urea diet with 40 mg/kg BW NCG. Feeding NCG significantly improved ADG, FCR, DM and CP digestibility, carcass weight, slaughter weight, DOP, eye muscle area, shear force (p = 0.001) and reduced L* of color, drip loss and cooking loss. Concurrently, feeding the urea diet induced a decreased ADG, carcass weight and slaughter weight, DOP, eye muscle area and shear force. NCG decreased contents of fecal N and urinary N, plasma urea in bulls and ammonia but increased N retention and utilization, plasma NO, plasma Arg, Leu, Ile and Tyr. On the other hand, feeding the urea diet increased urinary N, plasma urea and ammonia. Thus the study efficiently demonstrates that beef benefited from being fed a NCG product in the urea diet by enhancing its growth and slaughter performance, meat quality, nitrogen metabolism and plasma amino acids.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilDue to the economic and environmental considerations, the improvement of N utilization and production performance of cattle are of interest
After 2 weeks of adaptation, bulls were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments according to BW and age: (1) CON group: bulls were fed the control diet, (2) CON + NCG group: bulls were fed the control diet with 40 mg/kg BW NCG, (3) Urea group: bulls were fed the urea diet, and (4) Urea + NCG group: bulls were fed the urea diet with 40 mg/kg BW NCG
The lower average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.01) in bulls supplemented with urea diet was observed compared to those supplemented with control diet, but supplementing NCG increased ADG of bulls fed the urea diet (p < 0.01)
Summary
Due to the economic and environmental considerations, the improvement of N utilization and production performance of cattle are of interest. The shortage of protein feed resources and excessive nitrogen excretion restricts the development of animal husbandry around the world. Using dietary non-protein nitrogen is an effective way to decrease the dependence on protein resources in cattle production. Ruminants can convert non-protein nitrogen to digestible microbial protein by rumen microbes. Little information is available on the impact of non-protein nitrogen on slaughter performance, meat quality and nitrogen metabolism in Holstein bulls. Dietary Arg enhanced bowel mucosal function in newborn and weaned pigs and improved antioxidant and immune function in rats [2,3]. Rumen-protected and exogenous arginine impaired the iations
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