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Comparative mammalian choline metabolism with emphasis on the high-yielding dairy cow

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2013

L Pinotti ,
A Baldi  and
V Dell'Orto
L Pinotti*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technology for Food Safety, Veterinary Faculty, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy
A Baldi
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technology for Food Safety, Veterinary Faculty, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy
V Dell'Orto
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technology for Food Safety, Veterinary Faculty, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Luciano Pinotti, fax +39 02 50315731, email luciano.pinotti@unimi.it
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Abstract

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The present review examines the importance of choline in dairy cow nutrition. Choline is an essential nutrient for mammals when excess methionine and folate are not available in the diet. The requirement for choline can be met by dietary choline and by transmethylation reactions. Two types of functions for choline are known: functions of choline per se; functions as a methyl donor. The two principal methyl donors in animal metabolism are betaine, a metabolite of choline, and S-adenosyl-methionine, a metabolite of methionine. Choline and methionine are interchangeable with regard to their methyl group-furnishing functions. In adult ruminants, choline is extensively degraded in the rumen; for this reason dietary choline contributes insignificantly to the choline body pool and methyl group metabolism is generally conservative with a relatively low rate of methyl catabolism and an elevated rate of de novo synthesis of methyl groups via the tetrahydrofolate system. In dairy ruminants, the dietary availability of choline is still low, but the output of methylated compounds in milk is high, and precursors from the tetrahydrofolate pathway are limiting, especially at the onset of lactation. Therefore choline may be a limiting nutrient for milk production in high-yielding dairy cows.

Keywords

CholineMethyl groupMethionineDairy cows
Type
Research Article
Information
Nutrition Research Reviews , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , December 2002 , pp. 315 - 332
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2002

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