Energy metabolism reactions in ruminant muscle: responses to age, nutrition and hormonal status

Energy expenditure in muscle comprises reactions related to intermediary metabolism and those of posture and activity. The metabolic reactions respond to a wide range of nutritional and hormonal stimuli and are often apparently co-ordinated; in magnitude, however, their contribution to energy requirements can be minor compared with locomotion and posture. Metabolic reactions include protein turnover, ion transport and substrate cycles. In young ruminants muscle protein synthesis responds to intake but effects on energy expenditure are less pronounced; the situation with the adult is unclear. The involvement of insulin in ruminants may differ from that in monogastrics but effects are observed with thyroid hormones. Ruminant muscle may have a higher energy requirement for Na+, K+ transport which responds in proportion to total oxygen uptake to alterations in intake. Thyroid hormone treatment and, probably, the catecholamines enhance both Na+, K+ and Ca2+ transport. Muscle has fewer substrate cycles than liver and each may contribute only 1-3% toward oxygen consumption. Several are sensitive to insulin, but larger responses are observed with thyroxine and epinephrine and under stress conditions, therefore, may account for significant proportions of heat increment. Energy costs of standing may be considerable and posture movements may change with diet quality and quantity. Locomotory activity may mask changes in the contribution of metabolic reactions in response to different stimuli. Approximately 80% of energy costs for muscle in vivo are accounted for by protein turnover (20-25%), ion transport (25-30%), substrate cycling (5-8%) and standing (30%). Better integration of experiments in vivo and in vitro is required to improve the quantification and resolve data anomalies.