The isotopic N turnover rate as a proxy to evaluate in the long-term the protein turnover in growing ruminants

Abstract

4Protein turnover is an energy-consuming process essential for ensuring the maintenance of 1 5 living organisms. Gold standard methods for protein turnover measurement have inherent 1 6 drawbacks precluding their generalization for large farm animals and during long periods. We 1 7 proposed here a non-invasive proxy of the whole-body fractional protein degradation rate 1 8 (WBPT; whole-body protein turnover for a growing animal) in the long term and in a large 1 9 number of beef cattle. The proxy is based on the rate at which urine-N and plasma proteins 2 0 3 1 non-invasive proxy of the whole-body protein turnover rate in large farm animals. 3 2 3 3 Keywords: protein turnover, isotope, 15 N, ruminant, beef cattle 3 4 3 5