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A note on the effect of plane of nutrition on fractional outflow rates from the rumen and urinary allantoin excretion by wether sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. J. Dewhurst
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
A. J. F. Webster
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
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Abstract

During a series of routine experiments to evaluate 16 foods offered to wether sheep, conventional measurements of digestibility were augmented by measurement of fractional outflow rates (FOR) of solids (ks) and liquid (k1) from the rumen and urinary allantoin nitrogen excretion (UAN) as an index of microbial yield. Fixed (1 kg) amounts of ‘dry’ foods were offered to sheep ranging in weight from 42 to 89 kg which permitted a retrospective analysis of plane of nutrition effects on diet digestibility, ks, k1 and UAN. Each diet was simultaneously offered to three sheep (one each of large, medium and small size). Smaller sheep had significantly higher FOR, significantly lower apparent digestibilities of dry matter and significantly higher UAN (g/kg digestible organic matter (DOM)). Higher UAN (g/kg DOM) indicated higher microbial energetic efficiencies with the smaller sheep.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1992

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