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The nutrition of the early-weaned calf IV. Ruminal ammonia formation from soluble and insoluble protein sources

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

T. R. Preston ,
F. G. Whitelaw  and
N. A. MacLeod
T. R. Preston
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
F. G. Whitelaw
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
N. A. MacLeod
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
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Summary

1. Rumen-ammonia concentration, pH of rumen liquor and blood-urea concentration have been measured at intervals after feeding in six calves given diets containing ‘soluble’ groundnut meal, ‘soluble’ herring meal or ‘insoluble’ herring meal as the major protein source.

2. There were no significant differences between diets in any of the measurements examined. A difference approaching significance was, however, observed between ‘soluble’ herring meal and the other diets in the direction and extent of the change in rumen-ammonia concentration during the first hour after feeding.

3. On all diets, pH of rumen liquor fell to a value in the region of 5·5 immediately after feeding and increased gradually to around 6·5 during the following 8 hr. Rumen-ammonia concentrations were at all times very low.

4. There was no significant residual correlation between changes in blood-urea concentration and the corresponding changes in rumen-ammonia concentration.

5. Rumen-ammonia concentration increased markedly on the ‘soluble’ herring meal diet when the nitrogen intake of the animals was increased by 50%; under similar conditions, only slight increases in this measurement were observed on the other diets.

6. Thesefindingsare discussed in relation to the efficiency of utilisation of dietary nitrogen.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , June 1963 , pp. 147 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1963

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References

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