Holstein dairy cows with high phosphorus utilization efficiency fed a low phosphorous diet secreted less phosphorus with urine but more with milk and feces.

The environmental pollution of phosphorus (P) from livestock farming is becoming increasingly problematic especially with regard to dwindling global P resources. Thus, a more sustainable handling of P resources, including improvements in P use efficiency and a reduction of P loss from farm animals, is necessary. Dairy cows may differ in milk P yield and P use efficiency despite receiving the same feed ration. The objective of this study was to elucidate inter-individual differences in P and closely linked nitrogen (N) excretions and the expression of P transport proteins in dairy cows with low and high P utilization efficiency. Twenty multiparous, late lactating German Holstein dairy cows were retrospectively assigned to either a high (HPeff; n = 10) or low (LPeff; n = 10) P utilization efficiency group. Cows were fed a diet low in P and crude protein (CP) content. During a 4-day balance study, feed intake, urine and fecal excretions, and milk yield were recorded to determine total P and N content in subsamples. Mammary gland, kidney and jejunal mucosa were sampled to analyze mRNA expressions of P transporters by real-time-PCR. A high milk P yield in HPeff cows strongly correlated with milk protein and milk N yield. HPeff cows excreted less urinary P, had a higher renal P reabsorption rate, and a higher renal sodium-P cotransporter 2 expression than LPeff cows. As HPeff cows channeled more P into milk, they mobilized more P from body reserves as indicated by their more negative P-balance. In addition, HPeff cows had higher fecal P excretion relative to ingested P, resulting in a lower apparent P digestibility. In conclusion, when fed a low P diet, HPeff cows channeled more endogenous P into milk and feces, which in the long-term, likely has adverse effects on animal health and the environment.