Rates of oxalic acid degradation in the rumen of sheep and goats in response to different levels of oxalic acid administration

Abstract

Oxalic acid is found in high concentrations in some plants consumed by ruminants and may cause renal toxicity. To determine whether exposure to oxalic acid affects the capacity of the rumen of sheep and goats to degrade the compound, 20 animals (10 sheep and 10 goats) were dosed with free oxalic acid by gelatin capsule twice daily for 3 weeks at one of five levels (03, 09 and 130, 474, 990 mmol of oxalic acid degraded per I rumen fluid per day for doses 03, 09 and 1001). Rates of degradation increased during the dosing period (P < 004 v. 505). Oxalic acid administration did not influence plasma calcium concentration or cause renal function impairment as measured by plasma creatinine concentrations. The experiment demonstrated adaptation in the rumen to potential toxins in the host diet and suggests that the rumen micro-organisms of goats may have been more adapted to degrading oxalic acid than sheep.