1. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on either a purified, fibre-free diet or a diet in which half the maize starch was replaced with uncooked amylomaize or potato starch (equivalent to 100 or 200 g amylase-resistant starch (ARS)/kg diet respectively). Changes in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), pH, ammonia and a number of bacterial variables in caecal contents were then assessed.

2. Both ARS supplements decreased caecal content pH by approximately 1–2 units, with an associated reduction in ammonia concentration. Potato starch significantly decreased the concentration of SCFA in the hind-gut, while amylomaize supplementation increased propionic and butyric acids but decreased the occurrence of minor, branched-chain fatty acids.

3. Caecal bacterial biotransformation activities (β-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21), β-glucuronidase (EC 3.2.1.31), reduction of p-nitrobenzoic acid, apparent ammonia formation) were consistently decreased by both ARS sources.

4. The results demonstrate that amylase-resistant carbohydrate altered toxicologically important functions in the large-intestinal flora of the rat.

1. The proportions of carbon in individual milk constituents derived from feed and body tissues in dairy cows, were estimated by taking advantage of the natural variations which occur in the ratio, 13C:12C present in C3- and C4-plant species.

2. Four cows, which had previously grazed C3 plants (ryegrass (Lolium spp.) and white clover (Trifolium repens)), were accustomed to indoor feeding on a ration of C3-plant material (cut pastures and barley meal). The ration was then changed abruptly to one of C4-plant material (paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) hay, maize silage and meal) for a period of 8 or 9 d in early and again in late lactation.

3. During early lactation it was estimated that 54% of the C in milk fat was derived from the body fat reserves of high genetic merit cows. Corresponding values for casein and lactose were 34 and 24% respectively, if it is assumed they were derived from body protein reserves. In contrast steam-volatile fatty acids in milk fat were almost entirely derived from dietary sources.

4. The proportional contribution of body-tissue C to individual milk constituents varied considerably between animals, possibly associated with genetic merit or the size of the body reserves available for mobilization.

5. In late lactation, when cows were close to energy and protein balance, contributions of body-tissue C to milk fat, casein and lactose ranged up to 19, 19 and 8% respectively.

6. Estimates of endogenous losses of C in faeces averaged 12 and 9% in early and late lactation respectively, and corresponding values for endogenous urinary C were 23 and 15%.

1. Ninety male Wistar rats were divided into two groups. A control group (C) was fed on a balanced diet, containing 200 g protein/kg for 51 d. An experimental group (E) was fed on a low-protein diet containing 50 g protein/kg for 28 d (PM), and then on a balanced diet for 23 d (BR). At different days of PM and BR, the pancreas and the pancreatic juice were collected 40 min after injection of 0.1 mCi [3H]leucine. The amounts of amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), trypsinogen 2 (EC 3.4.21.4), chymotrypsinogen 1 (EC 3.4.21.1) and lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) were determined after separation by the isoelectric focussing technique. Incorporation of [3H]leucine into the four hydrolases of pancreatic juice and pancreas was also determined.

2. In control rats a progressive increase in the concentration of digestive enzymes and the amounts secreted were observed with age. Maturation was reached when the rats were 9 weeks old. In rats E, PM inhibited maturation of the pancreas. However, individual enzymes were not affected to the same extent and at the same time. As soon as re-feeding was initiated, pancreas maturation took place and a significant increase in these variables was observed. The increases varied according to the hydrolase and did not appear at the same time.

3. In control rats, a preferential secretion of newly synthesized enzymes was observed in young rats, whereas with age, the proportion of newly synthesized enzymes excreted decreased slowly. In group E rats, at the beginning of PM, the proportion of newly synthesized enzymes secreted was very low and increased with time.

4. In rats C and E, our results indicated a non-parallelism between pancreatic enzyme levels and amounts secreted. This non-parallelism was different in both groups, it was changed with age and pancreas maturation in group C, and according to nutritional state in group E.

1. Eleven mature goats were offered 140 kJ metabolizable energy/kg per d (M) of lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay-oaten grain (1:1, w/w) for at least 1 month before plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) kinetics and tritiated water space (TS) were determined.

2. Goats were then fed at M, 0.5 M or 0.25 M for 34 (se 6) d, at which time the experimental procedures were repeated.

3. Chronic undernutrition resulted in elevated NEFA concentrations and NEFA entry rate, with a tendency for the ratio plasma NEFA:glycerol to increase, suggesting that body-fat mobilization during prolonged underfeeding is due more to decreased lipogenesis and intracellular NEFA re-esterification rather than to increased lipolysis.

4. Plasma NEFA concentrations and NEFA entry rate, as well as being highly correlated with each other, were significantly related to calculated energy balance and body fat losses estimated from changes in live weight and TS.

5. Increases in NEFA entry rate were highly correlated with, and of the same magnitude as, body fat losses, confirming that NEFA kinetics do quantitatively reflect lipid mobilization.

1. Lamb growth trials were designed to modify growth and protein content of muscle by diet and also by β-agonist treatment, and to correlate any changes to the activities of calpain proteinases (EC 3.4.22.17) and their inhibitor calpastatin.

2. Wether lambs in a control group were fed on a barley-based diet designed to give a growth rate of 350 g/d; a second group was fed on the same diet but the intake was restricted to give an expected gain of 44 g/d; a third group was fed on the same diet as the first group but the diet included 2 mg clenbuterol/g. At the end of a 6-week trial, longissimus dorsi wet weights were 635 (n6), 377 (n4) and 788 g (n6) (standard error of difference 53.0) in the three groups respectively.

3. Minced L. dorsi was extracted in low-salt buffers and analysed by a fast protein liquid-chromatographic system for calpain I (low calcium-requiring), calpain II (high Ca2+-requiring) and calpastatin activities. No significant changes in the three activities were associated with reduced muscle weight in the restricted-intake group. The inclusion of clenbuterol in the diet, however, led to highly significant increases (P < 0.001) in calpain II and calpastatin to approximately double the control values.

4. The results did not support a direct relation between these activities and muscle growth, except when protein accretion was stimulated by a β-agonist, suggesting a role for this enzyme system in the mechanism by which these agents exert their effect.

1. Lactating grazing ewes, fistulated at the rumen and abomasum were either not supplemented or offered, individually, 600 g/d of either pelleted, molassed sugar-beet pulp (‘energy’ supplement) or a pelleted 1:1 (w/w) mixture of this feed and formaldehyde-treated soya-bean meal (‘protein’ supplement). Digesta flows at the abomasum were estimated from the concentrations of the markers CrEDTA and ruthenium phenanthroline complex, during their administration by continuous intra-rumen infusion. Digesta samples were taken at 09.00 hours and at six further times at 4 h intervals. This was repeated 2 d later.

2. No significant difference in flow between days was noted. Daily flows of dry matter (DM) and non-ammonia-nitrogen (NAN) (g/d) in supplemented ewes were significantly higher than in unsupplemented ewes, both in total digesta and its particulate phase. However, there were significant differences between sampling times or significant interactions between sampling time and supplement treatment. The results were therefore examined by Fourier analysis for possible circadian variation in digesta flow. As there was marked between-animal variability in flow-rate, the digesta-flow values for each sampling time were re-expressed as percentages of the flows calculated from daily mean marker concentrations.

3. In unsupplemented animals, marked and significant circadian variation was then identified in the flow of DM, total N and NAN in both whole digesta and the particulate phase. There was also significant circadian variation in the flow of DM, total N and NAN in the digesta of the supplemented ewes. Curves were of the same general shape as those for unsupplemented animals, but some significant differences were found, principally for digesta NAN flow. In both supplemented and unsupplemented animals, peak flows occurred in the period 20.00-01.00 hours. The proportion of DM and NAN flowing in the particulate phase was relatively constant through the day for unsupplemented ewes, but significant circadian variation occurred for supplemented ewes.

4. The possible mechanisms generating the circadian variation in digesta flow, such as grazing behaviour and the rumen digestion of supplements, are discussed. Values are also presented to indicate the extent of the likely errors if digesta flows were estimated from samples which did not represent all stages of the circadian pattern.

1. Four steers with simple rumen and abomasal cannulas were given diets consisting of ground and pelleted alkali-treated straw, rolled barley and tapioca supplemented with urea (diet U) or containing single-cell protein (diet SCP), maize-gluten meal (diet MGM) or rapeseed meal (diet RSM) in place of some of the tapioca. The isoenergetic diets were given in a 4 x 4 Latin square design in eight feeds/d at 3-h intervals and provided sufficient metabolizable energy to support a growth rate of approximately 0.5 kg/d. Chromic oxide and polyethylene glycol were given as markers and appropriate samples taken from the rumen and abomasum. Flows (g/d) at the abomasum of organic matter and nitrogenous and carbohydrate constituents were calculated.

2. Rumen ammonia levels were similar with all three protein supplements at about 9 mmol/l, which was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that in animals on diet U (16 mmol/l). Rumen liquid outflow rates (/h) were 0.099, 0.139, 0.125 and 0.160 for diets U, SCP, MGM and RSM respectively; the difference between diet U and diet RSM was significant (P < 0.05). Corresponding values for Cr2O3 outflow rates were 0.027, 0.032, 0.027 and 0.030/h respectively, which did not differ significantly from each other.

3. RNA, 35S and diaminopimelic acid (DAP) were used as microbial markers. Efficiencies of microbial-N (MN) synthesis, expressed as g MN/kg apparently digestible organic matter, truly digestible organic matter or carbohydrate fermented, were generally not significantly affected by the diet and averaged 29, 22 and 29 respectively based on mean RNA and 35S markers. Corresponding values derived from DAP of 22, 16 and 21 g MN/kg respectively were all significantly (P < 0.001) lower. Using 35S as microbial marker, MN flows at the abomasum as a proportion of non-ammonia-nitrogen flow were 0.78, 0.64, 0.51 and 0.78 for diets U, SCP, MGM and RSM respectively. Derived true rumen degradability values (g/g intake) of the total dietary N were 0.91, 0.79, 0.69 and 0.90 for diets U, SCP, MGM and RSM respectively. Protein supplement degradabilities for single-cell protein, maize-gluten meal and rapeseed meal were 0.73, 0.51 and 0.98 respectively.

4. Mouth-to-abomasum digestibility coefficients of the main neutral-sugar components of dietary poly-saccharides were 0.68, 0.63 and 0.61 for arabinose, xylose and cellulose-glucose on diet U. These values were generally significantly increased with protein supplementation, but to different extents depending on the source. Maximum digestibility values of 0.81, 0.79 and 0.76 were obtained for arabinose, xylose and cellulose-glucose with diet RSM. Starch-glucose digestibility was high (0.90) on all diets and unaffected by supplementation.

1. Eight kinds of indigestible particles with specific gravities (SG) ranging from 0.92 to 1.87 (2 mm diameter and 4 mm length) were injected into the reticulo-rumen of sheep and goats in order to investigate the relation between SG and passage through the gastrointestinal tract, and the difference in passage time in the two species of animals.

2. The percentage of excreted particles significantly increased, while the percentage of ruminated particles in the excreted particles significantly decreased, as the SG increased.

3. The daily and cumulative recovery rates of particles of SG 1.38 were slower in sheep than in goats, while those with SG 0.92 were not different between species.

4. It is concluded that particles with SG higher than 1.27 would pass through the gastrointestinal tract of sheep and goats more quickly than those with SG lower than 1.21.