LYSTARGET40

Lysine - The 2nd Limiting Amino Acid

Lysine is an essential, limiting amino acid in dairy cattle diets, crucial for optimal protein synthesis, growth, and lactation performance. Unlike methionine, lysine is particularly pivotal for muscle accretion, milk protein synthesis, and immune function. Its role extends beyond protein building; lysine is involved in the synthesis of key metabolites such as carnitine, which facilitates fatty acid transport into mitochondria for energy production, and hydroxylysine, critical for collagen formation and tissue integrity. In ruminants, lysine is often the second most limiting amino acid after methionine, especially in diets based on corn and other cereals that are naturally low in lysine. Standard dietary lysine is largely degraded in the rumen, so rumen-protected lysine supplementation is necessary to ensure its delivery to the small intestine for absorption as metabolizable lysine.