Kinetics of nitrogen transfer across the rumen wall of sheep given a low-protein roughage

Abstract

1. The significance of blood urea-nitrogen transfer to the rumen was examined in sheep given alkali-treated wheat straw supplemented with 3.5 (diet A), 5.9 (diet B) and 11.6 (diet C) g urea-N/kg dry matter (DM).2. Mean voluntary intakes of DM (g/d) were 897, 1149 and 1225 for diets A, B and C respectively, indicating significant (P < 0.05) intake responses to urea supplementation. Digestion studies were conducted at 90% of voluntary intake. Dietary N intakes (g/d) were 7.1, 11.5 and 18.6 for diets A, B and C respectively.3. Absorption of ammonia-N from the rumen (g/d) was 3.5, 6.7 and 8.9 for diets A, B and C respectively, with all dietary differences being significantly different (P < 0.05).4. Non-ammonia-N (NAN) leaving the abomasum (g/d) was 9.6, 12.7 and 14.8 for diets A, B and C respectively. Microbial N leaving the abomdsum (g/d) was 6.8, 9.6 and 10.7 for diets A, B and C respectively. Hence, significantly (P < 0.05) more N was provided to the intestines with increased urea supplementation. Net efficiencies of microbial protein synthesis (g N/kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumen), estimated from 16N incorporation, were 24.2, 23.7 and 25.3 for diets A, B and C respectively, and were not significantly different (P > 0.05).5. Calculated proportions of microbial N derived from rumen NH₂-N were 1.05, 0.95 and 0.91 for diets A, B and C respectively, reflecting the high proportion of total N as urea-N in the diets. Proportions of microbial N derived from blood urea-N were 0.31, 0.21 and 0.12 for diets A, B and C respectively, indicating a decreasing significance of blood urea as a source of microbial N as dietary urea increased (P < 0.05).6. Transfer of blood urea-N to the rumen (g/d) was 3.8, 4.7 and 2.6 for diets A, B and C respectively, being significantly (P < 0.05) lower on diet C. Using an estimate, of the salivary contribution of urea-N to the rumen, it was concluded that there was a significant though not large transfer of blood urea-N across the rumen wall on all diets.7. Net transfer of blood urea-N to the rumen was estimated from a two-pool model and was +0.4 g/d for diet A, though this was not significantly different from zero. Net transfers for diets B and C were -2.0 and - 6.3 g N/d respectively.8. Significant intake responses to exogenous urea supplementation were observed because of a limited capacity to recycle N to the rumen under the conditions of low dietary N supply imposed.