Changes in amino acids composition of cows colostrum (during first 72 hours after parturition)

Abstract

Changes in amino acid spectrum of colostrum within the period of 2 to 72 hours post partum were studied in dairy cows of the Czech Red Pied cattle with a genetic admixture of Black Pied Lowland breed (n = 10). Five of them were on the 1st lactation and 5 on the 2nd and/or higher lactations. Within the study period, the contents of non-essential amino acids (NEAA) and essential amino acids (EAA) decreased by 22.8–63.2% and 27.3–65.2%, resp., in dairy cows on the 1st lactation while in those on the 2nd and following lactations the corresponding values were 22.0–63.7% and 24.9–71.7%, respectively. The dependence of the course of changes in the AA spectrum of cow’s colostrum on the time interval elapsing after the parturition could be characterised by a regression equation y = b0 + b1/x + b2/x2.

Keywords

• dairy cows
• colostrum
• amino acids
• regression analysis