Calcium salt of hydroxy analogue of methionine

What it is. This additive is the calcium salt of the hydroxy analogue of methionine, a methionine analogue produced by chemical synthesis and combined with calcium to form a solid salt. It belongs to the amino acids, their salts and analogues functional group used in animal nutrition.

What it is for. It is used as a source of methionine activity to help cover the requirement for this amino acid, which is often first-limiting, across animal species. It is generally used in feed formulation to support protein synthesis, growth and production performance, and can be of interest where rumen-protected or hydroxy-analogue methionine sources are considered for ruminants. A related study on ethyl-cellulose rumen-protected methionine in dairy cows illustrates interest in methionine supply during the periparturient period, without setting a recommended inclusion level for this specific salt.

Points to watch. Use should respect the authorised species and conditions set out in the EU register entry; no maximum content figure is specified here and none should be inferred. As with other methionine sources, the dietary balance with other amino acids (notably lysine) should be considered, and storage conditions appropriate to amino acid salts should be observed.