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Cited by 283Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive PhysiologyAnimal Nutrition and PhysiologyAnimal Nutrition and Health

Invited Review: Nitrogen in Ruminant Nutrition: A Review of Measurement Techniques

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Hristov, A.N., Bannink, A., Crompton, L.A., Huhtanen, P., Kreuzer, M., McGee, M., Nozière, P., Reynolds, C.K. +7 more·2019·Journal of Dairy Science
DOI 10.3168/jds.2018-15829
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Abstract

Nitrogen is a component of essential nutrients critical for the productivity of ruminants. If excreted in excess, N is also an important environmental pollutant contributing to acid deposition, eutrophication, human respiratory problems, and climate change. The complex microbial metabolic activity in the rumen and the effect on subsequent processes in the intestines and body tissues make the study of N metabolism in ruminants challenging compared with nonruminants. Therefore, using accurate and precise measurement techniques is imperative for obtaining reliable experimental results on N utilization by ruminants and evaluating the environmental impacts of N emission mitigation techniques. Changeover design experiments are as suitable as continuous ones for studying protein metabolism in ruminant animals, except when changes in body weight or carryover effects due to treatment are expected. Adaptation following a dietary change should be allowed for at least 2 (preferably 3) wk, and extended adaptation periods may be required if body pools can temporarily supply the nutrients studied. Dietary protein degradability in the rumen and intestines are feed characteristics determining the primary AA available to the host animal. They can be estimated using in situ, in vitro, or in vivo techniques with each having inherent advantages and disadvantages. Accurate, precise, and inexpensive laboratory assays for feed protein availability are still needed. Techniques used for direct determination of rumen microbial protein synthesis are laborious and expensive, and data variability can be unacceptably large; indirect approaches have not shown the level of accuracy required for widespread adoption. Techniques for studying postruminal digestion and absorption of nitrogenous compounds, urea recycling, and mammary AA metabolism are also laborious, expensive (especially the methods that use isotopes), and results can be variable, especially the methods based on measurements of digesta or blood flow. Volatile loss of N from feces and particularly urine can be substantial during collection, processing, and analysis of excreta, compromising the accuracy of measurements of total-tract N digestion and body N balance. In studying ruminant N metabolism, nutritionists should consider the longer term fate of manure N as well. Various techniques used to determine the effects of animal nutrition on total N, ammonia- or nitrous oxide-emitting potentials, as well as plant fertilizer value, of manure are available. Overall, methods to study ruminant N metabolism have been developed over 150 yr of animal nutrition research, but many of them are laborious and impractical for application on a large number of animals. The increasing environmental concerns associated with livestock production systems necessitate more accurate and reliable methods to determine manure N emissions in the context of feed composition and ruminant N metabolism.

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Authors
Hristov, A. N., Bannink, A., Crompton, L. A., Huhtanen, P., Kreuzer, M., McGee, M., Nozière, P., Reynolds, C. K., Bayat, A. R., Yáñez-Ruiz, D. R., Dijkstra, J., Kebreab, E., Schwarm, A., Shingfield, K. J., & Yu, Z.
Affiliations
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
  • University of Reading (GB)
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
  • ETH Zurich (CH)
  • Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (IE)
  • Université Clermont Auvergne (FR)
  • Natural Resources Institute Finland (FI)
  • University of California, Davis (US)
  • Aberystwyth University (GB)
  • The Ohio State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Dairy Science
Publisher
American Dairy Science Association
Published
2019-07
Volume
102
Issue
7
Pages
5811-5852
ISSN
0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3168/jds.2018-15829
OpenAlex
W2942130108
Cited by
283
References
359
Citations by year
2026: 46 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 59 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 2
FWCI
3.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Dairy Science (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • T-Stór (Teagasc) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • CentAUR (University of Reading) (submittedVersion)
  • Arrow@dit (Dublin Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Jukuri (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)) (submittedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (MIT01-GLOBALNET-EEZ)
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit
  • National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2014-67003-21979, NH00616-R)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Nutrition and Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Animal Nutrition and Health
Keywords
rumen microbial protein synthesis, urea recycling, ammonia emissions, nitrous oxide emissions, environmental impact of livestock, nitrogen use efficiency
MeSH terms
Animals, Animal Feed, Animal Husbandry, Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Nitrogen, Ruminants, Animal Nutrition Sciences

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