Changes of plasma free amino acid concentrations and myofibrillar proteolysis index by starvation in non‐pregnant dry cows

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>The effects of 5 day starvation on urinary metabolite excretion, plasma metabolites and free amino acid concentrations in four non‐pregnant dry cows were investigated. Starvation significantly reduced (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) the bodyweight and feces weight. The plasma glucose concentration decreased (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) during days 2–5 of starvation. Starvation significantly increased (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) the plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration. The plasma urea nitrogen concentration and urinary urea nitrogen excretion increased transiently (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) at days 1 and 2 of starvation. The plasma 3‐methlhistidine concentration was significantly higher (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) at days 2, 3 and 5 of starvation. However, the urinary 3‐methylhistidine excretion was significantly higher (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) at days 4 and 5 of starvation, not corresponding to the change in the plasma. Starvation did not change the plasma proline, methionine, lysine and total amino acid concentrations. On the other hand, starvation reduced (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) the plasma aspartic acid, serine, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, alanine, tyrosine, tryptophan and histidine concentrations. Plasma glycine increased during starvation. Plasma threonine, isoleucine, leucine and branched‐chain amino acid increased (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05) by prolonged starvation. The results of this study indicate that prolonged starvation accelerated myofibril protein degradation in non‐pregnant dry cows and apparently consumes most glucogenic amino acids in preference to other amino acids.</jats:p>