Intestinal Digestible Microbial Protein (MCP)

The fraction of intestinal digestible microbial protein (MCP) is the fraction of microbial protein that can be digested in the small intestine. It is calculated from the amount of microbial protein built up in the rumen and the digestibility of the microbial protein. The amino acid pattern of the microbial protein matches well with the amino acids required for the production of milk protein. The current intestinal digestible protein system (2007) assumes that microbial protein is 75% amino acid and 85% digested.

MCP is part of the intestinal digestible protein system: intestinal digestible protein = Intestinal digestible Bypass Protein + MCP - MFP