Response of urinary purine derivatives excretion to veast RNA infusion levels in the yak abomasum

本研究对3头牦牛施以皱胃瘘管手术,以酵母RNA为嘌呤碱基供体,连续注射4期,以期测定牦牛吸收嘌呤的回收率,为尿嘌呤衍生物估测牦牛瘤胃微生物氮产量的模型积累数据.结果表明,牦牛皱胃连续注射酵母RNA可使尿囊素(564～1 426 μmol/kg BW0.75)、总嘌呤衍生物(purine derivative,PD)排出量(629～1 507 μmol/kgBW0.75)及尿囊素占总PD比例线性提高(0.90～0.95)(P＜0.01)；嘌呤碱基注射水平对尿酸、肌酐及尿氮排出量影响不显著(P＞0.05).回归分析发现,牦牛皱胃嘌呤注射量(X,mmol/d)与尿嘌呤衍生物排出量(Y,mmol/d)间存在线性关系:Y=0.85X+33.02 (R2 =0.96,P＜0.001),牦牛吸收嘌吟在尿中的回收率为85％.     

牦牛瘤胃微生物氮估测模型

通过系统研究发现：青藏高原牦牛、本地黄牛及犏牛内源性嘌呤衍生物每日每千克代谢体重(BW~(0.75))总排出量分别为134、163、138 μmol;尿嘌呤衍生物排出量(PD,mmol/d)与可消化有机物食入量(DOMI,kg/d)线性相关[牦牛:PD=16.02 DOMI + 1.27 (R~2 = 0.75,P<0.001);本地黄牛:PD= 14.42 DOMI + 3.03 (R~2=0.89,P<0.001);犏牛：PD = 20.01 DOMI-0.71 (R~2=0.94,P<0.001)];牦牛皱胃连续注射酵母RNA测得牦牛吸收嘌呤在尿中的回收率为85%,则牦牛小肠吸收嘌呤(X, mmol/d)与尿嘌呤衍生物排出量(Y,mmol/d)的关系为:     

牦牛尿嘌呤衍生物排出量对皱胃注射酵母RNA水平的响应

本研究对3头牦牛施以皱胃瘘管手术,以酵母RNA为嘌呤碱基供体,连续注射4期,以期测定牦牛吸收嘌呤的回收率,为尿嘌呤衍生物估测牦牛瘤胃微生物氮产量的模型积累数据。 结果表明,牦牛皱胃连续注射酵母RNA可使尿囊素(564～1 426 μmol/kg BW^0.75)、总嘌呤衍生物(purine derivative, PD)排出量(629～1 507 μmol/kg BW^0.75)及尿囊素占总PD比例线性提高(0.90～0.95)(P<0.01);嘌呤碱基注射水平对尿酸、肌酐及尿氮排出量影响不显著(P>0.05)。回归分析发现,牦牛皱胃嘌呤注射量(X,mmol/d)与尿嘌呤衍生物排出量(Y,mmol/d) 间存在线性关系:Y=0.85X+33.02 (R²=0.96,P<0.001),牦牛吸收嘌呤在尿中的回收率为85%。     

不同日粮采食水平对青年母水牛尿中嘌呤衍生物排出规律的影响研究

为了探讨青年母水牛尿中嘌呤衍生物排出量的变化规律,试验选取3头24月龄左右、体重相近的青年瘘管母水牛,采用随机区组试验设计.分别饲喂3种不同采食水平的试验日粮.结果表明:随着采食水平的降低,营养物质的表观消化率呈递增趋势(P<0.05);粪氮(P<0.01)、尿氮(P<0.05)呈递减趋势;尿中嘌呤衍生物的排出量显著降低(P<0.05),且与微生物氮估测值之间有显著的回归关系:Y=3.542 7X-25.285 0(R2=0.990 7;n=3),Y=6.209 3X+7.567 9(R2=0.990 7;n=3;P<0.05),与可消化有机物干物质采食量之间也有存在显著的线性相关:Y=6.209 3X+7.567 9(R2=0.996 1;n=3;P<0.05);肌酸酐的排出量稳定在40 mmol/d左右,各处理间无显著差异(P>0.05).     

精料类型对肉羊饲粮养分消化率及尿嘌呤衍生物排出量的影响

旨在建立利用嘌呤衍生物排出量估测微生物氮产量的模型。本研究选择10只平均体重为(47.4±4.4)kg健康的杜寒杂交成年公羊。10种全混颗粒饲粮,单一精料替换比例30%,每个处理10只羊,每个重复1只羊,试验按时间和饲粮划分为10期进行;每种饲粮饲喂20d,其中预试期15d,正试期5d;整体试验持续200d。试验测定了饲喂10种不同精料饲粮肉羊的营养物质消化率及尿嘌呤衍生物(PD)排出量。结果表明:1)饲粮营养成分的消化率与营养成分含量存在相关性,精料类型不同饲粮消化率有差异,饲粮可消化蛋白质(DCP)的最佳预测因子是粗蛋白质(CP);10种饲粮的摄入氮、尿氮、粪氮等均因精料类型不同呈极显著差异(P0.01)。2)10种饲粮的尿囊素、尿酸、黄嘌呤(包括次黄嘌呤)占PD排出量的比例均因饲粮类型的不同呈极显著差异(P0.01),占PD排出量的比例范围分别是85.60%~92.47%、2.54%~7.18%、3.20%~7.41%;10种饲粮的嘌呤氮指数(PNI)因饲粮类型的不同呈极显著差异(P0.01),变化范围是0.03~0.10,然而PD排出量与摄入氮和微生物氮(MN)存在强的线性相关。摄入氮与氮表观消化率、尿氮和氮沉积具有强相关关系,建立的沉积氮(Y)估测方程式:Y=0.244 9×摄入氮-1.319 9(R2=0.825);PD排出量与摄入氮以及MN均存在线性强相关关系,建立的估测方程式分别是PD=0.119 7×摄入氮+10.161(R2=0.925)、MN=0.746 1×PD+1.785 4(R2=0.898)。     

饲粮氮水平对牦牛尿嘌呤衍生物排出量与瘤胃微生物氮产量的影响

本试验旨在探讨牦牛尿中嘌呤衍生物(PD)排出量对饲粮氮水平的响应规律,并基于此估测了瘤胃微生物氮(MN)产量,以期为高寒牧区牦牛的科学饲养提供参考。选取4头体重[(192±12)kg]相近、年龄(3岁)相同的去势公牦牛,采用4×4拉丁方试验设计将牦牛分为4组,各组饲粮氮水平分别是1.03%、1.95%、2.85%和3.76%,每组1头;试验分为4期,每期21 d,包含15 d的预试期和6 d的正试期。结果表明,牦牛尿中PD主要由尿囊素和尿酸组成,尿囊素/PD和尿酸/PD分别为0.69~0.76、0.23~0.30,黄嘌呤与次黄嘌呤的含量极少。当饲粮氮水平升高时,尿中PD、尿囊素、尿酸以及马尿酸排出量均线性增加(P0.05),而尿酸/PD和嘌呤氮指数(PNI)均线性降低(P0.05)。瘤胃细菌嘌呤碱基(RNA当量)含量、瘤胃细菌氮含量以及瘤胃MN产量都随着饲粮氮水平升高而线性增加(P0.05),但饲粮氮用于合成MN的效率[即瘤胃MN/食入氮(NI)]却线性降低(P0.05)。基于尿中PD排出量(mmol/d)和瘤胃MN产量(g/d)与NI(g/d)之间良好的线性关系,构建了如下数学模型:PD=0.58NI+18.28,MN=0.18NI+22.18。综合得出,当牦牛饲粮氮水平为2.85%时,牦牛瘤胃M N产量最大,为42.60 g/d,而PNI以及饲粮氮用于合成M N的效率却在低氮(1.03%)条件下达到最高,这一结果揭示了牦牛对低氮饲粮中氮素营养高效利用的特点,解释了牦牛对青藏高原饲料营养匮乏的适应性的营养机理。     

基于康奈尔净碳水化合物与蛋白质体系的瘤胃非降解蛋白质小肠可吸收氨基酸流量的简化评定技术

本试验旨在简化基于康奈尔净碳水化合物与蛋白质体系(CNCPS)评定瘤胃非降解蛋白质(RUP)小肠可吸收氨基酸流量的技术。小肠可吸收氨基酸来自菌体蛋白和RUP,CNCPS根据溶解性将饲料粗蛋白质(CP)分为A、B1、B2、B3和C共5种组分,只有3种B组分可以过瘤胃并在小肠中消化。为评定RUP小肠可吸收氨基酸的贡献,CNCPS需要分别测定3种B组分的瘤胃降解率,3种过瘤胃B组分的小肠消化率需采用不同常数。选择18份饲料样品,其中精料12份,粗料6份,测定CNCPS评定RUP小肠可吸收氨基酸流量所需数据,同时对饲料CP的瘤胃动态降解率及不同时间点RUP的体外小肠消化率进行了测定,通过这些数据提出简化评定方法。结果表明:1)精料和粗料均以8 h的CP瘤胃降解率(X,%)与有效降解率(Y,%)间相关性最强,二者间呈线性相关,精料和粗料方程分别为Y=12.652+0.828X,r=0.990,P0.000 1和Y=10.967+0.886X,r=0.980,P=0.000 6。2)精料2 h RUP小肠消化率(X,%)与RUP小肠有效消化率(Y,%)间相关性最强,方程为Y=0.026+0.879X,r=0.970,P0.000 1;粗料8h RUP小肠消化率(X,%)与RUP小肠有效消化率(Y,%)间相关性最强,方程为Y=-0.002+0.960 X,r=0.995,P0.000 1。3)简化方案经可靠性评估得出,8 h CP瘤胃降解率和RUP小肠消化率简化CNCPS模型预测的小肠氨基酸流量(X,‰)与CNCPS预测的小肠氨基酸流量(Y,‰)相关性最强,精料方程为Y=-0.056+1.409X,r=0.999,P0.000 1;粗料方程为Y=0.003+2.120 X,r=0.999,P0.000 1。精料和粗料的简化评定结果与CNCPS评定结果的均方根误差分别为0.245和0.005,变异系数分别为7.08%和4.49%。综合得出,基于CNCPS,得到了预测RUP小肠可吸收氨基酸流量的简化模型,简化后的精料和粗料模型分别为Y=-0.056+1.409×[AA×(100-D8)×CP×ID8],r=0.999,P0.000 1和Y=0.002+2.120×[AA×(100-D8)×CP×ID8],r=0.999,P0.000 1,Y为RUP中的某种氨基酸小肠可吸收流量(‰),D8为CP的8 h瘤胃降解率(%),ID8为RUP的8 h小肠消化率(%),AA为不溶性蛋白质中该氨基酸含量(%)。     

日粮中不同代谢能、降解蛋白和非降解蛋白水平对泌乳前期细毛羊生产性能的影响

用87只2～3岁的河北细毛羊进行了粗蛋白水平为10.6％～22.2％;代谢能为11.05～11.98MJ/kg;降解蛋白(RDP/CP)为77.1％～87.6％和不同非降解蛋白(UDP)为44.91～57.94g/日/只等4个水平对泌乳前期母羊体重、泌乳力及羔羊生长发育影响的研究,同时探讨了羔羊日吮乳量与羔羊平均日增重的关系。试验结果表明,河北细毛羊泌乳前期(1～50天)ME、RDP和UDP的适宜供给量分别为1.02MJ/kgW~(0.75)/d、9.20g/kgW~(0.75)/d和3.08g/kgW~(0.75)/d。羔羊平均日吮乳量(X)与日增重(Y)的关系为Y=0.0072+0.2536X(r=0.5201,P<0.01)。在低营养水平饲养条件下,适当给母羊增加降解氮食入量,可提高增重和泌乳量。     

不同营养水平对4～6月龄荷斯坦犊牛尿中嘌呤衍生物排出量的影响

本试验采用3头(120±5)日龄、体重为(72±2)kg的荷斯坦公犊牛,通过调整日粮营养水平来观察其尿中嘌呤衍生物(PD)的排出规律,比较其与成年反刍动物之间的差异,考察犊牛期能否用尿嘌呤衍生物法来估测瘤胃微生物蛋白。试验设计3种营养水平日粮,采用随机区组试验设计。结果发现,犊牛尿中嘌呤衍生物中尿酸大约为50%～75%,而在成年反刍动物尿酸不到15%。PD的排出量随可消化有机物(DOM)和可消化粗蛋白(DCP)进食量升高而上升,存在弱的相关性(R2=0.76,n=9)。其排出水平为0.12～0.24mmol/(BW0.75·d)。作为估测成年反刍动物微生物蛋白合成量的另一个指标[PD]×BW0.75/[C](其中[PD]为嘌呤衍生物浓度,[C]为尿中肌酐酸浓度,BW0.75为代谢体重,简称PDC),与DOM和DCP进食量存在负相关,这与成年反刍动物的研究结果是相反的。     

益生素对梅花鹿仔鹿和羔羊日粮营养物质消化率的影响

4只5月龄梅花鹿仔鹿和3只7月龄安装永久瘤胃瘿管的小尾寒羊,先后饲喂基础日粮(定量颗粒饲料和自由采食玉米秸秆;对照组)和基础日粮添加4 g益生素(BioLac;试验组),观察添加益生素不同动物干物质采食量,日粮营养物质的消化率和秸秆在小尾寒羊瘤胃中的降解情况。结果表明,添加益生素可显著提高仔鹿和羔羊干物质的采食量,仔鹿干物质采食量由未添加益生素的441.4 g/d提高到506.0 g/d;羔羊的干物质采食量由未添加益生素的598.8 g/d提高到719.6 g/d。但试验组干物质、有机物、粗蛋白和中性洗涤纤维的消化率(仔鹿分别为:49.3％、52.1％、57.4％和49.3％;羊分别为:53.6％、56.7％、47.9％和53.0％)显著低于对照组(仔鹿分别为:56.4％、58.7％、65.0％和56.4％;羊分别为:61.0％、64.0％、58.8％和61.0％)。结果仔鹿可消化干物质的采食量在对照组(248.9 g/d)和试验组(249.1 g/d)间无显著差异,试验组羔羊可消化干物质采食量(384.9 g/d)略高于对照组(365.7 g/d)。瘤胃降解试验结果表明,秸秆干物质,有机物质和中性洗涤纤维2-48 h,在饲喂益生素的羔羊瘤胃内的降解率均略高于未添加益生素的羔羊瘤胃内的降解率,粗蛋白在饲喂试验日粮的羔羊瘤胃内的降解率在2 h时高于在饲喂对照日粮的羔羊瘤胃内的降解率,其他时间低于在饲?     

The effect of exogenous purine supply on the endogenous excretion of purine derivatives in the urine of growing lambs

An experiment was made to determine the absorption of purine metabolites in dietary nucleic acids through the digestive tract, and also to determine the utilization of nucleic acids absorbed in the body, using growing lambs. Two pairs of 120‐ and 180‐day‐old twin female lambs with a bodyweight of 18.2–19.0 kg were kept in metabolism crates and fed on purine‐free milk replacement (MR) with supplements of exogenous purine (purine base or purine nucleoside) at a level of 0.2 mmol/BW^0.75/d for 5 consecutive days, and thereafter they were maintained in the crates for 4 days. The daily amount of exogenous purine supply was calculated based on the urinary excreted purine derivatives (PD) in lambs fed on milk replacement alone. A urine sample was collected daily for 9 consecutive days, and the urinary excretion of PD was determined daily. Urinary PD excretion opened to increase within 24 h after the dose of purine bases, and the level was recovered on 3 days after ceasing the exogenous purine supply. The recovery of PD in the urine was about 70% of the purine supplement. When purine nucleosides were added to the feed, urinary PD excretion was initiated within 24 h after dosing, and the values were recovered after ending the purine nucleoside supply. The recovery rate of PD in the urine was only 30% of the supplemented purine. The plasma allantoin levels were almost similar after feeding purine bases and purine nucleosides, and the values were mostly in the range (40–60 µmol/L). These findings indicate that an exogenous purine can be directly incorporated into the body, and the purine as nucleoside is more effectively utilized for the synthesis of nucleic acids than as a purine base in the body of growing lambs.     

Urinary purine derivates excretion as an indicator of in vivo microbial N flow in cattle: A review

Microbial protein flow to the duodenum may be regarded as the most important and sensitive indicator to optimise rumen metabolism in high-yielding dairy cows. In this review, the methodology and the sources of variation to estimate the duodenal microbial N flow with urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD) as a non-invasive method is discussed. The urinary PD excretion was linearly related with the amount of purine bases (PB) infused in the abomasum or duodenum, but the recovery of PB in urine differed between experiments. The main sources of variation in the relationship between microbial N flow and urinary PD excretion are dietary contribution of nucleic acids to duodenal flow, varying N:purine ratio in duodenal digesta, differences in intestinal digestibility of nucleic acids and infused PB, and endogenous contribution of PD to urinary excretion. The recycling of PD to the rumen is negligible, and does not explain the incomplete urinary recovery of PD. A large proportion of the total PD is excreted as allantoin in urine. In some experiments this proportion was constant, whereas in others it varied with diet or physiological state of the animal. The excretion of PD in milk is not a suitable indicator of microbial N flow, due to mammary purine catabolism to uric acid and due to the strong positive correlation between milk allantoin excretion and milk yield. Instead of total urine collection, the molar ratio between urinary PD and creatinine can be used to estimate microbial N flow. However, a substantial between-animal variation in this ratio was found, and effects of changes in energy balance of dairy cows on urinary creatinine excretion should be determined. The urinary excretion of total PD and of allantoin provided lower estimates of duodenal microbial N flow than with measurements in the omasum or duodenum, but they closely reflected the changes observed with these measurements.     

Endogenous fraction and urinary recovery of purine derivatives obtained by different methods in Nellore cattle

Two experiments were conducted to assess the endogenous fraction of purine derivative (PD) excretion, urinary recovery, and intestinal digestibility of purines in Nellore heifers. For both experiments, 8 Nellore heifers fitted with ruminal and abomasal cannulas were allocated to two 4 × 4 Latin squares. The diets were based on corn silage and concentrate (60 and 40% DM basis, respectively); feces and urine samples were obtained by total collection, and abomasal DM flow was estimated using indigestible NDF as an internal marker. In Exp. I, 4 of the 8 heifers (BW 258 ± 20 kg) were also fitted with ileal cannula. The planned treatments were 4 different DMI: 1.2, 1.6, 2.0, and 2.4% of BW (DM basis). The endogenous losses and purine recovery as urinary PD were estimated using linear regression between daily urinary PD excretion (Y) and daily abomasal flow of purine bases (X), expressed in millimoles per kilogram of BW(0.75). In Exp. II, the same 8 Nellore heifers (BW of 296 ± 15 kg) were fed at 1.37% BW (DM basis). The treatments were the infusion of purines (RNA from torula yeast, type VI, Sigma) into the abomasum in increasing amounts (0, 33, 66, and 100 mmol/d). All statistical analyses were performed using the PROC MIXED procedure in SAS. In Exp. I, the DMI range was 1.16 to 1.84% of BW and did not affect (P > 0.05) the apparent RNA digestibility in the small intestine, which had a mean of 75.6%, and a true digestibility of 93.0%. The mean ratio of the N-RNA to the total-N in the ruminal bacteria was 0.137. The daily urinary PD excretion (Y, mmol/kg of BW(0.75)) was a function of RNA flow in the abomasum (X, mmol/kg of BW(0.75)): Y = 0.860X + 0.460, where 0.860 and 0.460 were the PD recovery of purines and the endogenous fraction (in mmol/kg of BW(0.75)), respectively. In Exp. II, the daily urinary PD excretion was a function of RNA flow in the abomasum: Y = 0.741X + 0.301, where 0.741 and 0.301 were the recovery of PD in urine of infused purines and the endogenous losses (in mmol/kg of BW(0.75)), respectively. In conclusion, our data suggest that in Nellore heifers the respective values of endogenous PD excretion (mmol/kg of BW(0.75)), urinary recovery of the purines absorbed in the abomasum, and true digestibility of RNA in the small intestine were 0.30, 0.80, and 0.93.     

Effects of malate on diet digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, plasma metabolites, and performance of growing lambs fed a high-concentrate diet

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of malate supplementation on growth rate, feed efficiency, and diet digestibility in growing lambs. Twenty-four Merino lambs with a mean BW of 15.3 +/- 0.22 kg were divided into 3 homogenous groups. Each group was randomly allocated to 1 of 3 malate (16% disodium malate:84% calcium malate) levels: 0 (control), 4 (MAL-4), or 8 (MAL-8) g/kg of concentrate. Lambs were fed concentrate and barley straw ad libitum for 35 d. After a 20-d period, diet digestibility was determined, and microbial N flow at the duodenum was estimated from the urinary excretion of purine derivatives. Blood samples were taken on d 0, 20, and 35. On d 35, lambs were slaughtered and ruminal fluid samples were collected. There were no effects (P = 0.18 to P = 0.95) of malate on concentrate or straw intake, ADG, carcass yield, and apparent digestibility of OM, CP, NDF, or ADF. Malate supplementation did not influence (P = 0.80) the daily urinary excretion of total purine derivatives, and therefore there were no treatment effects (P = 0.77) on estimated microbial N flow at the duodenum. No differences (P > 0.05) among treatments were observed for plasma concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea-N, lactate, or VFA, but malate addition increased (P = 0.003) the molar proportion of butyrate in ruminal fluid (4.29, 6.14, and 5.45% of total VFA for control, MAL-4 and MAL-8, respectively). The use of malate as a feed additive under the conditions of the current study did not influence diet intake or digestion, and consequently did not improve lamb performance.     

日粮不同精粗比对肉羊氮沉积和尿嘌呤衍生物排出量的影响

本试验旨在研究肉羊在不同日粮精粗比条件下氮沉积和尿嘌呤衍生物的排出规律。选择12只体况健康的9月龄、体重(47.21±3.35)kg杜×寒杂交绵羊公羊,试验日粮为12种不同精粗比的全混合颗粒饲料,采用12×4不完全拉丁方设计,进行4期消化代谢试验,试验每期19 d,其中预试期14 d,正试期5 d,采用全收粪、尿法。结果表明:随日粮精粗比的提高,尿氮排出量和氮沉积量均显著提高(P<0.05),日粮精粗比对粪氮排出量的影响不显著(P>0.05),氮沉积量与氮采食量之间存在线性相关(R2=0.72,P<0.05);尿中尿囊素排出量和总尿嘌呤衍生物排出量均随日粮精粗比升高而显著升高(P<0.05),尿囊素、尿酸、黄嘌呤和次黄嘌呤排出量占总尿嘌呤衍生物排出量的比例变化范围分别为69.92%~84.76%、2.89%~7.58%和9.39%~25.04%。日粮精粗比对粪氮与尿氮有不同的影响,对尿嘌呤衍生物排出量影响显著;尿嘌呤衍生物排出量与尿氮排出量存在着线性相关,相关方程为Y=0.429X+0.324(R2=0.85)。     

用尿中嘌呤衍生物估测瘤胃微生物蛋白产量的研究进展

反刍动物尿中嘌呤衍生物包括尿囊素、尿酸、黄嘌呤和次黄嘌呤,尿中嘌呤衍生物是一种很好的估测瘤胃微生物蛋白合成量的标记物。本研究就动物内源嘌呤排泄、尿中嘌呤衍生物排泄量与嘌呤吸收量关系模型建立、全收尿法和点尿法计算微生物蛋白供给以及最近对不同动物(包括绵羊、黄牛、山羊、水牛、牦牛、骆驼、驼羊)嘌呤衍生物排泄的研究等方面,阐述用尿中嘌呤代谢物估测瘤胃微生物蛋白产量的方法。     

Induced non-enzymatic browning of soybean meal. II. Ruminal escape and net portal absorption of soybean protein treated with xylose

Non-enzymatic browning was tested as a means of increasing ruminal escape of soybean meal N. Soybean meal was treated with xylose (3 mol/mol SBM-lysine), sodium hydroxide (pH 8.5) and enough water to achieve an 83% dry matter mixture and then heated at 150 C for 30 min (XTS-30). Trial 1 evaluated ruminal escape of N from XTS-30 compared with commercial soybean meal (CS) or urea (U) in a replicated 3 X 3 Latin square design using six duodenally cannulated Angus X Hereford steers (24.7 kg). Duodenal flow of dietary N was higher (P less than for steers fed XTS-30 (47.9 g/d) than for steers fed CS (39.5 g/d). The ruminal escape estimate for XTS-30 (33.7%) was higher (P less than .10) than CS (13.1%), whereas total tract apparent N digestibility was not different among treatments. In trial 2, net portal absorption of alpha-amino N was measured in Finnsheep X Suffolk ram lambs (24.7 kg) fed U, CS or XTS-30 in a 3 X 3 Latin square design. Portal blood flow was measured by primed, continuous infusion of para-aminohippuric acid. Portal blood flow was lower (P less than .05) for U.fed lambs than for lambs fed CS or XTS-30, and tended to be lower for lambs fed CS than those fed XTS-30. Net portal absorption of alpha-amino N tended to be lowest for lambs fed U (281 mmol/d) and highest for lambs fed XTS-30 (578 mmol/d). The results are interpreted to show that non-enzymatic browning increased flow of soybean meal N to the intestine.     

A re-evaluation of the minimum vitamin A requirement of growing-finishing lambs

The minimum vitamin A requirement of growing-finishing lambs was determined by depleting 24 Rambouillet lambs (15.0 +/- .59 kg) of their vitamin A stores and then feeding them for 16 wk one of six fixed intakes of vitamin A (2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 micrograms retinol.kg live wt-1.d-1). Plasma retinol concentrations at the end of the depletion phase averaged 6.0 +/- .6 micrograms/dl. The relationship between vitamin A intake (micrograms retinol.kg live wt-1.d-1, X) and plasma retinol concentration (micrograms/dl, Y) at the end of 16 wk of supplementation was Y = 1.40 + 2.08X-.015X2 (r = .98). The relationship between vitamin A intake (micrograms retinol.kg live wt-1.d-1, X) and liver retinol concentration (log10 micrograms/100 g wet wt, Y) was Y = 1.34 + .058X-.00044X2 (r = .90). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressures were elevated in lambs fed the 2-, 4- and 8-micrograms levels of vitamin A intake. A broken-line regression model was used to describe the relationship between vitamin A intakes and CSF pressures, and to define minimum vitamin A requirements. The equation obtained was Y = 2.206-.292 (X-1.146) theta, r = .95, where X = vitamin A intake (log10 micrograms retinol.kg live wt-1.d-1) and Y = CSF pressure (log10 mm saline). In this model theta = 1 when X less than or equal to 1.146 and theta = 0 when X greater than 1.146.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)