EVONIK announced Oct. 26 that it has started Mepron production at its site in Mobile, Ala., putting the plant into service after 15 months.

Mepron is a formulation of the amino acid methionine. It is a protected DL-methionine developed by Evonik's Animal Nutrition Business Line especially for high-yielding dairy cows.

"The U.S. is our most important sales market for Mepron," Dr. Emmanuel Auer, head of the Evonik Animal Nutrition Business, said. "So, it was important for us to serve our customers out of our own new production facility."

High-yielding dairy cows have particularly high methionine requirements. In conventional animal feeding, such requirements are covered by feeds containing protein. The use of supplemental amino acids in dairy cow rations allows the amount of crude protein in feeds to be reduced with no loss of output. This, in turn, reduces feed costs, eases metabolism in the animals and reduces nitrogen excretion, the company noted.

"In this way, we're contributing to more sustainable milk production, from which all sides benefit," Auer said.

Evonik's Nutrition & Care Segment produces and markets four essential amino acids for animal nutrition.

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