ILVO – the independent scientific research institute of the Flanders, Belgium Government – conducts rigorous, unbiased evaluations of livestock nutrition technologies. Operating across eight research sites and more than 40 accredited laboratories, ILVO’s modern dairy research facilities include a 140‑cow experimental dairy barn, 74 RIC feeders for precise intake measurement, specialized gas‑exchange chambers, and fistulated cows for controlled rumen and intestinal digestibility studies.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Over the past eight years, ILVO has evaluated multiple rumen-protected amino acid (RP-AA) products, including rumen‑protected lysine and methionine sources from various global manufacturers. Each product was tested for two critical parameters: rumen stability (percentage of active ingredient surviving 8 hours of incubation in the rumen) and intestinal digestibility (8–12-hour passage through the duodenum). These two measurements together determine the true bioavailability of amino acids for dairy cows.
ILVO RP AMINO ACIDS SUMMARY DATA
WEBSITE: https://ilvo.vlaanderen.be/en/sectors/livestock-farming/dairy-farming
This summary reflects 8 years of accredited RP‑Lysine research across multiple leading products. Key evaluations focused on rumen stability, intestinal absorption, bioavailability & Lysine delivered (g/100g) of product.
The long-term research shows clear variation in the performance of different RP-amino acid products. Among all products tested, AjiPro‑L from Ajinomoto demonstrated the highest rumen stability at 84.8%, while also showing excellent intestinal digestibility. This confirms that AjiPro‑L survives rumen degradation more effectively than competing RP‑lysine products and delivers a greater proportion of lysine to the intestine for actual absorption.
These findings highlight the importance of selecting rumen‑protected amino acids with proven scientific validation. With superior rumen protection and strong digestibility, AjiPro‑L emerges as the most consistent and reliable source of highly bioavailable lysine, supporting improved protein efficiency and overall dairy performance. ILVO confirmed that AJI PRO-L gives cows maximum usable lysine, supporting:
- Higher milk production
- Better feed efficiency
- Improved protein utilization
- Reduced nutrient waste
Studies evaluating rumen-protected amino acids over long incubation and post-rumen passage periods are critical because real dairy performance depends on both rumen stability and intestinal digestibility. Product claims alone are not enough – independent scientific validation through accredited research bodies, like ILVO, provides measurable evidence of true amino-acid bioavailability. This type of research is required for the industry to make informed, science-based decisions when selecting nutritional solutions that directly impact protein efficiency, feed conversion, and milk productivity.