Minerals required in the diet of ruminants and their chemical symbols. Mn Molybdenum Mo Zinc Zn Selenium Se Nitrogen containing nutrients Nitrogen is present in proteins and other compounds included in the organic matter of a feed. Proteins are composed of one or several long chains of amino acids . The sequence of the 20 amino acids found in proteins is determined by the genetic code. This sequence determines the structure and the function of each protein in the body.
Some amino acids are essential and others are non-essential.
As opposed to the non-essential amino acids which can be synthesized within the body, the essential amino acids must be present in the diet because the body cannot synthesize them. Non-protein nitrogen has no nutritive value in simple stomach animals. However, in ruminants, NPN can be utilized by ruminal bacteria to synthesize amino acids and proteins that will benefit the cow. A Danish chemist, J. G. Kjeldhal, developed a method in 1883 to quantify nitrogen. The energy of a feed that is available to the animal cannot be quantified by simple laboratory analysis.