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Nitrogen excretion in germ-free and conventional chickens: effects of an alkali load

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2007

J. Okumura ,
D. Hewitt  and
Marie E. Coates
J. Okumura
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
D. Hewitt
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
Marie E. Coates
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
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Abstract

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1. Groups of three colostomized germ-free (GF) and conventional (CV) chickens aged 4 months were maintained for successive periods of 8 d on a diet containing 200 g casein/kg without and with sodium bicarbonate at the rate of 20 mmol/d and a nitrogen-free diet without and with NaHCO3 at 9 mmol/d. Urine and faeces were collected during the last 3 d of each period.

2. Total N, uric acid- and ammonia-N were determined in urine and total N in faeces. Amino acids were measured in hydrolysates of faeces collected during the periods when no NaHCO3 was included in the diets.

3. The CV birds excreted more N on the casein diets but less on the N-free diets than did their GF counterparts, the differences being mainly shown in the urine.

4. On both diets hydrolysates of the faeces of CV birds contained smaller amounts of amino acids. On the N-free diet the proportions (g/160 g N) of serine, proline and threonine were reduced, suggesting some conservation of endogenous N by micro-organisms, and the proportions of histidine, alanine, lysine and methionine increased, possibly through microbial synthesis; on the casein diet, proportions of most amino acids were less, probably because bacterial deamination had occurred.

5. Urinary excretion of total N, uric acid and ammonia was much greater on the casein than on the N-free diets. Inclusion of NaHCO3 caused a sharp fall in urinary ammonia on both diets and in both environments.

6. It was concluded that the level of dietary protein and the regulation of acid-base balance have more effect than microbial activity on the urinary ammonia excretion.

Type
Papers on General Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , January 1978 , pp. 99 - 104
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1978

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