Dietary citrulline supplementation enhances milk production in lactating dairy goats

作者：Arianna N. Lopez, Makenzie G Newton, Claire Stenhouse, Erin Connolly, Karina Hissen, Scott Horner, Guoyao Wu, William B. Foxworth, Fuller W. Bazer · 发表于：Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology/Journal of animal science and biotechnology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s40104-025-01187-9 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Animal health and immunology、Reproductive Physiology in Livestock、Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology

BACKGROUND: Lactational performance depends heavily on age, health, and nutrition. L-Citrulline (Cit) is an effective precursor of L-arginine (Arg), an amino acid that has important roles in synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and polyamines. Ruminal microbes degrade extracellular Arg; however, extracellular L-citrulline (Cit) is not degraded by ruminal microbes due to lack of uptake and can be fed unencapsulated as a precursor for Arg. As NO is a vasodilator, an increase in blood flow and transport of molecules to mammary tissue may enhance lactational performance and milk composition. Increases in polyamine production may increase milk protein synthesis within mammary tissue, thus increasing milk protein content. This study determined, for the first time, effects of dietary Cit supplementation on milk production and milk composition of Alpine dairy goats. METHODS: Does were synchronized to estrus and bred to Alpine bucks. Parturition was induced on d 149 of gestation and does were suckled overnight allowing kid(s) to obtain colostrum before being milked 24 h later (d 1 of lactation). Does were assigned to either control (CON, n = 24) or Cit (CIT, n = 23) diets. The isonitrogenous control diet consisted of 97.63% basal diet and 2.37% supplement (1.37% L-alanine and 1.00% soybean hydrogenated oil). The CIT supplemented diet consisted of 97.63% basal diet and 2.37% supplement (0.5% Cit, 0.5% L-glutamine, 1% soybean hydrogenated oil, 0.37% cornstarch). Diets were group fed ad-libitu...