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The importance of the form of nitrogen on microbial protein synthesis in the rumen of cattle receiving grass silage and continuous intrarumen infusions of sucrose

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

J. A. Rooke
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Biochemistry and Nutrition, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
D. G. Armstrong
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Biochemistry and Nutrition, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
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Abstract

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1. In a 4x4 Latin square design experiment, four cattle were given grass silage in two meals per d to satisfy maintenance energy requirements. In addition, sucrose (170 g/kg silage dry matter (DM)) was infused intraruminally at a constant rate with no nitrogen supplementation; with the infusion intraruminally of either casein (23 g/kg silage DM) or urea (8 g/kg silage DM); or with soya-bean meal (64 g/kg silage DM) fed in two equal portions.

2. Samples of duodenal digesta representative of a 24 h period were obtained using chromium-EDTA and ytterbium acetate for flow estimation and 35S as a marker of microbial N entering the small intestine. Samples of rumen fluid were also taken for estimation of rumen pH and concentrations of ammonia-N and volatile fatty acids. Estimates of apparent organic matter (OM) and N digestibility and of the rates of silage DM and N disappearance from porous synthetic-fibre bags incubated in the rumen were also made.

3. The N supplements had no significant effects on rumen pH, concentrations of volatile fatty acids, their molar proportions or the disappearance of DM or N from porous synthetic-fibre bags. N supplementation increased rumen ammonia-N concentrations (urea, P < 0.05; casein, soya-bean meal, not significant).

4. N supplementation had no significant effects on the digestion of OM, acid-detergent fibre or soluble carbohydrate.

5. Infusion of casein increased the quantities of total non-ammonia-N (not significant) and microbial N (P < 0.05) entering the small intestine daily and the efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis (not significant). Giving soya-bean meal twice daily resulted in marginal increases in the quantities of non-ammonia-N and microbial N entering the small intestine, while infusing urea intraruminally had no effect.

Type
Rumen Nitrogen Metabolism
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1989

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