Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T13:34:42.525Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of intraperitoneal injections of DL-methionine on the voluntary intake and wool growth of sheep fed sole diets of hay, silage and pasture differing in digestibility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

T. N. Barry
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Research Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mosgiel, New Zealand

Summary

Penned Romney wether sheep were fed ad libitum diets of untreated silage and hay made from the same pasture (Expt 1), untreated silage (Expt 2), and high quality fresh pasture (Expt 3). Voluntary intake and wool growth were measured. In each experiment half of the sheep were given intraperitoneal injections three times per week which supplied the equivalent of 1·03 g DL-methionine/day.

Relative to silage in Expt 1, hay increased voluntary dry matter intake, depressed apparent nitrogen digestibility and increased wool growth. Methionine supplementation increased voluntary intake and wool growth with animals fed on hay or silage in Expt 1 and with those fed on silage in Expt 2, but had no effect on either variate with the diet of fresh pasture.

Wool sulphur content, measured in Expts 2 and 3, was increased by methionine supplementation, and it was calculated that 34 and 15% respectively of the sulphur administered as methionine was recovered in the wool.

The effects produced by methionine supplementation in this work are compared with those produced from different forms of post-ruminal amino acid supplementation in sheep fed a variety of diets. Factorial estimates of the requirements for sulphur of sheep and cattle in different physiological states have been calculated, and are discussed in relation to results of trials involving supplementation with sulphur-containing amino acids.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council (1965). The Nutrient Bequirements of Farm Livestock. No. 2. Ruminants. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Armstrong, D. G. & Annison, E. F. (1973). Amino acid requirements and amino acid supply in the sheep. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 32, 107–13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barry, T. N. (1975). Effect of treatment with formaldehyde, formic acid and formaldehyde-acid mixtures on the chemical composition and nutritive value of silage. 1. Immature pasture. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 18 (in the Press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barry, T. N. (1976). Effect of treatment with formaldehyde, formic aoid and formaldehyde-acid mixtures on the chemical composition and nutritive value of silage. 2. Mature pasture. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 19 (in the Press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barry, T. N. & Andrews, R. N. (1973). Content and retention of sulphur in wool as affected by formaldehyde treatment of the diet, level of energy intake, and intraperitoneal supplementation with DL-methionine. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 545–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barry, T. N., Fennessy, P. F. & Duncan, S. J. (1973). Effect of formaldehyde treatment on the chemical composition and nutritive value of silage. III. Voluntary intake, liveweight gain, and wool growth in sheep fed the silages with and without intraperitoneal supplementation with DL-methionine. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 64–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beever, D. E., Thomson, D. J., Pfeffer, E. & Armstrong, D. G. (1969). Effects of drying grass on sites of its digestion in sheep. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 28, 26 A.Google ScholarPubMed
Belasco, I. J. (1972). Stability of methionine hydroxy analogue in rumen fluid and its conversion in vitro to methionine by calf liver and kidney. Journal of Dairy Science 55, 353–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bray, A. C. & Hemsley, J. A. (1969). Sulphur metabolism of sheep. IV. The effect of a varied dietary sulphur content on some body fluid sulphate levels and on the utilization of urea-supplemented roughage by sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 20, 759–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chalupa, W. & Chandler, J. E. (1972). Amino acid nutrition of ruminants. In Tracer Studies on NPN for Ruminants. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Association.Google Scholar
Dean, R. E., Rice, R. W. & Hulett, A. (1973). Supplemental feeding of ewes with MHA. Journal of Animal Science 36, 1209.Google Scholar
Downes, A. M., Reis, P. J., Sharry, L. F. & Tunks, D. A. (1970). Metabolic fate of parenterally administered sulphur-containing amino acids in sheep and effects on growth and composition of wool. Australian Journal of Biological Science 23, 1077–88.Google ScholarPubMed
Durand, M., Zelter, S. Z. & Tisserand, J. L. (1968). Influence of storage techniques on the nitrogen efficiency of lucerne in the sheep. Annales de Biologie Animate Biochimie Biophysique 8, 4567.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egan, A. R. (1965). Nutritional status and intake regulation in sheep. II. The influence of sustained duodenal infusions of casein or urea upon voluntary intake of low-protein roughages by sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 451–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egan, A. R. (1974). Protein-energy relationships in the digestion products of sheep fed on herbage diets differing in digestibility and nitrogen concentration. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 25, 613–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ensminger, L. E. & Freney, J. R. (1966). Diagnostic techniques for determining sulphur deficiencies in crops and soils. Soil Science 101, 283–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fatianoff, N., Durand, M., Tisserand, J. L. & Zelter, S. Z. (1966). Comparative effects of wilting and of sodium metabisulphite on quality and nutritive value of alfalfa silage. Proceedings of the 10th International Grassland Congress, Helsinki, 551–5.Google Scholar
Feughelman, M. & Reis, P. J. (1967). The longitudinal mechanical properties of wool fibres and their relationship to the low-sulphur keratin fraction. Textile Research Journal 37, 334–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (1970). Amino Acid Content of Foods and Biological Data on Proteins. Rome: F.A.O.Google Scholar
Geenty, K. G. & Jagusch, K. T. (1974). A comparison of the performance of Dorset, Corriedale and Romney sheep during lactation. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 34, 1418.Google Scholar
Hall, G. A. B., Hatfield, E. E. & Owens, W. F. N. (1974). Effects of intraperitoneal amino acids on nitrogen balance and plasma amino acids in calves. Journal of Animal Science 38, 124–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, D. G., Beever, D. E., Thomson, D. J. & Osbourn, D. F. (1973). The influence of diet upon the quantity and types of amino acids entering and leaving the small intestine of sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 81, 391401.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henderson, H. E., Bergen, W. G. & Ritchie, H. D. (1972). M-analog silage treatment and concentrate levels for feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science 35, 1128.Google Scholar
Hogan, J. P. (1970). Protein limits to production in ruminants. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 8, 110.Google Scholar
Hogan, J. P. & Weston, R. H. (1967). The digestion of two diets of differing protein content but with similar capacities to sustain wool growth. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 973–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hogan, J. P. & Weston, R. H. (1971). The utilisation of alkali-treated straw by sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 22, 951–62.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, K. J., Wilkins, R. J. & Osbourn, D. F. (1971). The voluntary intake of silage by sheep. III. The effects of post-ruminal infusions of casein on the intake and nitrogen retention of sheep given silage ad libitum. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 77, 545–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langlands, J. P. & Sutherland, H. A. M. (1973). Sulphur as a nutrient for Merino sheep. 1. Storage of sulphur in tissues and wool, and its secretion in milk. British Journal of Nutrition 30, 529–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lindsay, J. R. & Hogan, J. P. (1972). Digestion of two legumes and rumen bacterial growth in defaunated sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 23, 321–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLeod, D. S., Wilkins, R. J. & Raymond, W. F. (1970). The voluntary intake by sheep and cattle of silages differing in free-acid content. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 75, 311–;19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicholson, J. W. G., Gorill, A. D. L. & Burgess, P. L. (1971). Failure of methionine hydroxy analogue to stimulate steer gains. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 51, 825.Google Scholar
Ørskov, E. R., Fraser, C. & Pirie, R. (1973). The effect of by-passing the rumen with supplements of protein and energy on intake of concentrates by sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 30, 361–;7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reis, P. J. (1967). The growth and composition of wool. IV. The differential response of growth and of sulphur content of wool to the level of sulphurcontaining amino acids given per abomasum. Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 20, 809–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reis, P. J. & Colebrook, W. F. (1972). The utilisation of abomasal supplements of proteins and amino acids by sheep with special reference to wool growth. Australian Journal of Biological Science 25, 1057–;71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reis, P. J. & Schinckel, P. G. (1963). Some effects of sulphur-containing amino acids on the growth and composition of wool. Australian Journal of Biological Science 16, 218–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salas, F., Henderson, H. E. & Bergen, W. G. (1971). Methionine hydroxy analog addition to an all silage ration. Journal of Animal Science 33, 1170.Google Scholar
Scales, G. H. (1968). Lactation performances of Romney, Corriedale and Merino ewes in a Tussock Grassland Environment. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 11, 155–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steinaker, G., Devlin, T. J. & Ingalls, J. R. (1970). Effect of methionine supplementation posterior to the rumen on nitrogen utilisation and sulphur balance of steers on a high roughage ration. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 50, 319–;24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuart, R. L., Hembry, F. G. & White, T. W. (1972). Cattle responses to methionine hydan and sulfur. Journal of Animal Science 35, 275–6.Google Scholar
Weston, R. H. (1967). Factors limiting the intake of feed by sheep. II. Studies with wheaten hay. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 9831002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkins, R. J. (1974). The effects of partial neutralization with sodium bicarbonate or ammonia and the feeding of blood meal on the voluntary intake of a whole-crop barley silage by sheep. Animal Production 19, 8791.Google Scholar