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Nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) is nitrogen in an elemental or chemical form that is not part of a protein molecule. This terminology is commonly used in reference to chemical feed additives for ruminant animals, which can synthesize protein from NPN (more specifically, from ammoniacal nitrogen). Single-stomached "monogastric" animals (e.g., humans, poultry, hogs, horses, dogs) cannot efficiently use NPN to make body protein.
The United States and China account for the vast majority of total world consumption of nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) in animal feeds, followed by Western Europe. Historically, Japan has consumed negligible quantities of urea for animal feeds.
In the United States, China and Western Europe, urea has been and will continue to be the major source of NPN feed. In the United States, beef cattle consume the majority of NPN feed. However, because of the mature state of the beef and dairy cattle industry, overall NPN feed consumption is expected to decline slightly in the United States. In China, urea consumption for animal feed has remained fairly stable in recent years; however, an increase in NPN feed demand is expected in the next several years because of the encouragement of cattle and sheep production. In Western Europe, NPN consumption has declined in the past few years because of reductions in livestock production.
On a nitrogen basis, dairy cattle consume approximately 24% of all NPN products and beef cattle consume about 76%; by comparison, sheep and other animals are negligible consumers of NPN. Cattle on feed are major consumers of NPN products, urea in particular. NPN in dairy rations has become more commonplace and use of liquid protein supplements in this sector is projected to increase over the next several years. However, total dairy consumption of NPN supplements is expected to decrease because the size of the dairy herd is decreasing.
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