L-Alanyl-L-cystine can be used as an additive in animal feed. The following is the detailed introduction:
I. Purposes of Addition
Nutritional Supplementation: During the processes of growth, development, and reproduction, animals require various amino acids to synthesize biological macromolecules such as proteins. L-Alanyl-L-cystine can provide two important amino acids, alanine and cystine, for animals. This helps to meet the animals' demand for amino acids, promotes their growth and development, and improves their production performance. For example, adding an appropriate amount of it to piglet feed can increase the daily weight gain and feed conversion rate of piglets.
Immunity Enhancement: Cystine can participate in the synthesis of glutathione in animals. Glutathione is an important antioxidant that can maintain the normal functions of cells, enhance the immunity and resistance of animals, and help animals resist diseases and stress. Alanine can also participate in the metabolic regulation within animals, which is helpful for maintaining the normal physiological functions of animals and indirectly enhances their immunity.
Meat Quality Improvement: Adding an appropriate amount of L-Alanyl-L-cystine can regulate the metabolic processes in animals, influence the deposition of proteins and fats in muscles, and thus improve the meat quality. For instance, when added to the feed for fattening pigs, it can appropriately increase the intramuscular fat content of pork, improving the tenderness and flavor of the meat.
Promotion of Fur Growth: Cystine is an important component of keratin in animals' hair and skin, playing a significant role in the growth and quality of animals' fur. Adding L-Alanyl-L-cystine can provide sufficient cystine for the growth of fur, making the animals' fur shinier and smoother, and improving the quality and yield of the fur. This is particularly important for fur animals such as foxes and minks.
II. Precautions for Use
Dosage: The requirements for L-alanyl-L-cystine vary among different animals and at different growth stages. An appropriate dosage needs to be determined based on factors such as the type of animal, body weight, and production purpose. Excessive addition may increase the feed cost and may also have negative impacts on the health and production performance of animals. Insufficient addition will fail to achieve the expected results.
Compatibility: Attention should be paid to the compatibility between L-Alanyl-L-cystine and other feed components and additives. For example, it may interact with some minerals, vitamins, etc., affecting their mutual absorption and utilization. These factors need to be fully considered when formulating feed recipes to ensure the coordination among various components.
Stability: L-Alanyl-L-cystine needs to maintain its stability during the feed processing and storage. Conditions such as high temperature, high humidity, and light may affect its activity and potency. Therefore, the process parameters should be well controlled during feed processing. When storing, it should be kept dry, cool, and ventilated, and avoid contact with air, moisture, etc., to ensure its effectiveness in the feed.
