Milk Protein Yield and Mammary Metabolism Are Affected by Phenylalanine Deficiency but Not by Threonine or Tryptophan Deficiency

Efficient milk protein synthesis requires that the essential AA be presented to the mammary gland in the right amount and proportion to maximize protein synthesis and minimize losses. This study investigated the effects of individual AA deficiencies on cow productivity, mammary metabolism, and glucose whole-body rate of appearance. Five Holstein cows were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design trial with 10-d periods. Treatments were abomasal infusions of (1) water (CTL); (2) complete AA mixture (TAA); (3) TAA without Phe (No-Phe); (4) TAA without Thr (No-Thr); and (5) TAA without Trp (No-Trp). Each treatment was compared with TAA. Treatment did not affect milk, fat, or lactose yields. Arterial concentrations of Phe, Thr, and Trp decreased with their respective deletions by 60, 76, and 69%. In response to the decreased arterial supply of the deleted AA, mammary plasma flow significantly increased by 55% with No-Thr but did not increase with No-Phe or No-Trp. Mammary uptake of Phe was reduced by No-Phe, accompanied by a reduced milk protein yield; uptakes of Thr and Trp were not affected by their respective deletions, and milk protein yield did not decrease with these treatments. Deletion of Phe tended to reduce its mammary uptake relative to milk output (U:O), accompanied by an increased U:O of Tyr, but deletion of Thr and Trp did not affect the U:O of the corresponding AA. Plasma urea-N concentration was lower with CTL and tended to be higher with No-Phe. Arterial concentrations and mammary uptake of acetate, β-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, and lactate were unaffected by treatment. Treatment had no effect on glucose rate of appearance at the whole-body level. Lactose output as a percentage of glucose whole-body rate of appearance was not affected by treatment. Overall, the study indicated that a deficiency of Phe negatively affected productivity and mammary metabolism but that a deficiency of Thr or Trp did not.