Dynamics of amino acid and protein metabolism in laying hens after the administration of 15N-labeled wheat protein. 2. 15N excretion with nitrogen and basic amino acids of the feces

Over 4 days 12 colostomized laying hens received together with a commercial ration labelled wheat with a 15N excess (15N') of 14.37 atom-%. The labelling of the basic amino acids amounted to 13.58 atom-% for lysine, to 14.38 atom-% for histidine and to 13.63 atom-% 15N' for arginine. 3 animals each were butchered 12 h, 36 h, 60 h and 108 h resp. after the last application of 15N. The heavy nitrogen in the total N and in the N fraction of non-protein origin as well as in the basic amino acids in faeces was daily determined for the individual hens in the total experimental period. On average the crude protein of faeces contained 5.45 % lysine, 2.32% histidine histidine and 3.68% arginine: the protein of faeces correspondingly contained 5.43% lysine, 2.32% histidine and 4.07% arginine. The quota of TCA soluble N in the total N of faeces amounts to one third on the 3rd und 4th days of the experiment and that of 15N' to 28%. The average atom-% 15N' of the protein fraction is 3.48 atom-% 15N' and that of the non-protein N fraction of faeces 2.93 atom-% 15N'. The apparent digestibility and that of the non-protein N fraction of faeces 2.93 atom-% 15N'. The apparent digestibility of the 14N of the ration on average amounts to 82.8% and that of the wheat 15N' to 87.5%. The average quota of the basic amino acids in the protein compounds of faeces amounts to 70.9% for lysine 15N', 73.7% for histidine 15N' and 70.3% for arginine 15N'. The digestibility of the 15N labelled amino acids amounts to 80.4% for lysine, 90.8% for histidine and 90.2% for arginine.     

Studies on the protein and amino acid metabolism of laying hens using 15N labeled casein. 4. Fecal excretion of nitrogen and amino acids, digestibility of crude protein and absorption of basic amino acids]

Generally, the faeces of laying hens fed 15N casein rations were found to contain equal proportions of TCE-precipitable and TCE-soluble nitrogen. Considerable variations were observed to occur between the 64 samples investigated (27%-75%) and no explanation was found to account for this fact. The content of basic amino acids in faecal proteins was found to differ considerably from that of the proteins in the intestinal contents. A high lysine content was found after the feeding of wheat. The present trial substantiated this result, provided the casein contained a certain proportion of non-available lysine. The apparent and true digestibility of dietary N was 88% or 91%, that of 15N (2nd and 6th day of experiment) and 92%. During the feeding of labelled casein a higher level of N labelling was found in the TCE-soluble portion of the faeces, whereas on the 8th to 12th day a higher level of labelling was observed in the TCE-precipitable portion of the faeces. The peak of 15N excretion occurred on the 3rd day of experiment. When 15N administration terminated the atom% 15N in the faeces and in urine was found to decrease rapidly approximating the initial level of labelling asymptotically.     

Dynamics of amino acid and protein metabolism of laying hens after the administration of 15N-labeled wheat protein. 1.Problems, research program and 15N-labeling of urine

In a 6-day preliminary period with a pelleted ration 12 colostomized laying hybrids received 15N labelled wheat protein over 4 days. The labelling of the wheat was 14.37 atom-% 15N excess (15N'). During the 4-day application of 15N wheat protein each hen consumed 12.08 g nitrogen, 3.52 g lysine, 2.12 g histidine, 4.41 g arginine, of which were 540 mg 15N', 18.1 mg lysine 15N', 21.5 mg histidine 15N' and 47.9 mg arginine 15N'. Heavy nitrogen was determined in urine and its uric acid-N in the daily urine samples of the individual animals. The average daily urine N excretion was 54% of the total nitrogen consumed with the ration. The labelling of the urine N reached a plateau on the fourth day of the experiment with 3.2 atom-% 15N'. On an average of the total experiment the quota of heavy nitrogen of the uric acid in the total 15N' of the urine was 83.4% and that of uric acid nitrogen in the total urine nitrogen 80.8%.     

Effect of the content of crude plant protein in the ration on the utilization of urea in dairy cattle. 2. 15N-urea metabolism

The metabolism of 15N-urea in the rations of dairy cows was investigated in dependence on the crude protein content of the rations. With energy concentration remaining unchanged, the rations contained 10.7 (I), 13.7 (II) and 17.1 (III)% plant crude protein and, after the supplementation of 150 g urea per animal and day, a total of 13.8, 16.7 and 20.2% crude protein in the dry matter. The urea was intraruminally infused during the feeding in the morning and the evening. In the morning feeding of each 1st measuring day it was labelled with 27.5 atom-% 15N-excess (15N'). The degree of labelling with 15N' of the N-fraction of rumen fluid, contents of the duodenum, faeces and milk, precipitable with trichloric acetic acid (TCA) decreased with the rising protein level of the ration. This effect was bigger than could be expected considering the low 15N'-quota in the total-N of the ration. In the sequence I ... III, 52.7, 32.2 and 30.6% of the 15N'-amount taken in passed the duodenal re-entrant cannula in TCA-precipitable form within 72 hours after the 15N-application. 33.3, 21.9 and 22.6% were apparently absorbed in the intestines as TCA-precipitable N within 120 h after the 15N'-application. In the same period 31.7, 43.1 and 72.8% of the 15N' taken in were excreted in urine. 12.3, 9.6 and 5.8% of the applied 15N' were found in milk protein. One can conclude that the utilisation of urea-N decreases with the rising level of crude protein in the ration and that, however, urea-N is still biochemically utilised when there is an excess of plant-N in the ration.     

Utilization of 15N-labelled urea by laying hens. 1. Survey of the literature, 15N-excretion in feces and urine

Three colostomated leghorn hybrids with an average laying performance of 75% received a ration with 17.7% crude protein and an energy content of 519 energetic feed units for hens per kg mixed feed over a period of 8 days. In the first six days of the experiment the 1%-supplement of urea to the ration was labelled. Its atom-% 15N excess (15N') amounted to 96.06%. During the last two days the urea supplement was not labelled. The total N, trichloracetic acid (TCA)-soluble N and the ammonia N were determined in the feces samples collected daily. In the urine samples collected daily the total N, urea N and ammonia N per hen were determined as well. In all samples the atom-% 15N excess (15N') was measured. The percentage of 14N in feces of the 14N dose was, on an average of the three hens, 21.3% and the analogous quota of 15N' 4.6%. The quota of ammonia 14N of the total 14N in feces had an average of 2.5%, the corresponding 15N' quota was 10.1%. The atom-% 15N' of the urea N in urine was considerably above that of the total urine N and had a maximum of more than 50%. The quota of urine 14N of the 14N taken in had an average of 44.4%, and the corresponding 15N' quota was 56.9%. On an average of the three hens, 61.6% of the 15N' were excreted in feces and urine during the 8-day test period.     

The substitution of protein feed by lysine supplemented high protein wheat during the rearing and laying period in hens. 9. True amino acid digestibility of rations with varying lysine levels in hens who had a colostomy]

24 experimental birds were fed the same basal ration containing 74% high-protein wheat, 4% extracted soya bean meal, 7% extracted groundnut meal, 2% feed yeast, 1.75% dried green meal, 1.25% mixed vitamins and 10% of a mineral mixture. The birds were placed in 4 groups each comprising 6 hens. The first two groups received an optimum of lysine (0.68%) added to the ration. The rations for the two other groups contained 0.55% lysine. 6 birds of each group receiving either the lysinesupplemented or the unsupplemented rations were colostomated to investigate in which way the hydrolysed urine would affect the true amino acid digestibility. 8.3% of urinary N from the total amount of faecal N were precipitated as uranyl acetate in the faeces of hens fed the lysine-supplemented ration as compared with 7.3% urinary N in birds receiving the unsupplemented ration. The corresponding figures for non-precipitable faecal N were 8.9% and 8.2%. A comparison was made between the levels of amino acids excreted by colostomated and non-colostomated hens showing that 12.4% +/- 3% and 11.7% +/- 3% more amino acids (figures for the supplemented and unsupplemented rations) were excreted in the presence of urine. On the basis of these results the authors recommend that only colostomated hens should be used in digestibility and total metabolism trials.     

First results on the incorporation and excretion of 15N from orally administered urea in lactating pony mares

Two lactating pony mares were given oral offers of 20 g 15N urea [95 atom-% 15N-excess (15N')] on 6 subsequent days. About 80% of the consumed 15N' were excreted via urine and faeces, but only about 2% via milk. The 15N' secreted via milk-lysine only amounted to 0.04% of the 15N' intake. The recovery was about 90% in each case. Tissues with active metabolism had an unexpectedly high labelling (greater than 0.3 atom-% 15N'). The low extent of the conversion of oral urea N into milk-lysine speaks against an essential participation of the enteral synthesis in meeting the amino acid requirement of lactating mares. It was already concluded from this results that the determination of the amino acid requirement will be necessary for this group of performance.     

Studies on nitrogen metabolism in the large intestine of ruminants. 5. Metabolism of intra-cecally infused 15N-urea without and with fermentable material in heifers

Six heifers with a live weight of 215, 227 and 238 kg (experiment 1) and 220, 227 and 233 kg, resp. (experiment 2), were supplied with ileocaecal re-entrance cannulae, jugular venous catheters and bladder catheters. The ration consisted of 4 kg maize silage and 4 kg wheat straw pellets per animal per day. Up to 3.5 kg of the straw pellets, consisting of 73% wheat straw, 10% barley, 12% molasses, NPN salts and a mineral mixture, were consumed per animal per day. In a preliminary period 50% of the digesta flow was collected over 12 h/d on 5 consecutive days and stored in a deep-freeze. During the main trial the re-entrance cannula was disrupted and the flowing digesta were quantitatively collected at the end of the ileum; previously collected digesta were supplemented with 15N urea and every hour over 24 h infused into the caecal part of the re-entrance cannula. Between the 24th and 30th hours the digesta were infused without 15N urea supplement. In trial 2 the digesta were also supplemented with partly hydrolysed straw meal between the 1st and 30th hours (approximately 10% straw meal DM related to digesta DM). There were no differences between trials 1 and 2 with regard to the increase of atom-% 15N excess (15N') in the plasma urea. The 15N labelling decrease of the plasma urea N shows that the half-life is 7.9 h in trial 1 and 7.0 h in trial 2. The NH3 nitrogen in faeces was distinctly higher labelled in trial 2 after the supplement of straw meal than in trial 1. The total N in faeces was also twice as highly labelled as in trial 1. Atom-% 15N' in urine was significantly higher in trial 2 than in trial 1 between the 6th and 16th hours after the beginning of 15N urea supplementation. In the decrease curve of atom-% 15N' (after the 26th hour of trial) the values in trial 1 were generally higher than in trial 2. The higher bacterial protein synthesis in the large intestine in trial 2 (after the supplement of partly hydrolysed straw meal) had the effect that 13.6% of the supplemented 15N' was excreted in faeces by the 30th hour of trial, in contrast to this only 4.7% in group 1. Up to the 4th day after the 15N urea infusion these values increased to 16.2 and 6.1%, resp., only.     

Absorption and utilization of amino acids infused into the cecum of growing pigs. 2. 15N-labeled lysine

Over a period of 4 days 15N-labelled lysine was infused into two growing female pigs (live weight approximately 50 kg) through a caecal cannula. The feeding was restrictive (1,400 g dry matter/day) and, with regard to lysine, it didn't meet the requirement. In a 7-day experiment the N- and 15N-content was measured periodically in the excretions (feces and urine), in various fractions of the blood and in selected slaughtering samples. From the infused 15N 3-5% are excreted as lysine in feces, another 5% are in other amino acids of the bacteria protein. The disappearance rate of 15N' from the large intestine makes greater than or equal to 90%. The biggest part of this 15N (78-88%) is excreted with the urine in form of 15N-urea. Obviously the infused amino acid is decomposed to NH3 in the large intestine and then absorbed. The absorbed ammonia is changed into urea in the ornithine cycle and excreted in urine. The recovery rate of the 15N infused as 15N-lysine is 93 and 84% resp. Incorporation of 15N in to serum protein or other body protein could not be detected so that the remaining difference of 7-16% cannot necessarily be interpreted as incorporation rate of 15N into the body protein. Under practical conditions the maximal utilisation of lysine from the feed in the large intestine is 1.6% and should thus be without importance.     

Nitrogen metabolism in the large intestine of ruminants. 7. Metabolism of intracecally-infused 15N urea with supplement of starch in bulls

Three bulls with an average live weight of 228 kg were fitted with ileo-caecal reentrant cannulas for the experiment. The rations were composed of 3 kg maize silage and 3 kg wheat straw pellets per animal and day. In a previous period 50% of the digesta was collected over 12 hours and stored deep-frozen. In the main period the digesta flow was interrupted for 30 hours. The digesta flow was collected quantitatively. In the caecal part of the re-entrant cannula previously collected digesta and starch (over 30 hours) as well as 15N urea (over 24 hours) were supplemented. The amount of starch corresponded to about 10% of the DM of the digesta. Analyses of the urine, faeces, ileum digesta and blood plasma were carried out. The quota of starch clearly stimulates bacterial processing in the large intestine so that 20.5% of the supplemented 15N was excreted in faeces within 24 hours. 91.2% of the 15N in the faeces was localised in the bacteria fraction. Individual differences of the animals distinctly show the connection between the excretion of the 15N in faeces and urine. A decreased isotope excretion in faeces of 17.2% for animal 3 in contrast to the 23% for animals 1 and 2 showed an increased elimination of the 15N through the kidney with 32.7% instead of 25.2%. The largest proportion of the ileum digesta, i.e. 46%, can be localised in the 15N urea fraction; the NH3-fraction is also distinctly labelled. With time progressing, the 15N quota flowing from the rumen to the small intestine increases.     

Utilization of 15N-labeled urea in laying hens. 8. 15N-incorporation in the amino acids of the oviduct

3 colostomized laying hybrids received orally with a conventional ration 1% urea with 96.06 atom-% 15N excess (15N'). over a period of 6 days. In the period of the experiment every hen consumed 2.87 g 15N'. After another 2 days, on which they received conventional feed urea, the animals were butchered. 15N' was determined in the total N and in 15 amino acids of the oviduct. Of the 15 amino acids the labelling of glutamic acid, glycine and serine was highest and on average amounted to 0.80, 0.66 and 0.67 atom-% 15N'. In lysine and arginine only 0.10 and 0.11 atom-% 15N' could be detected. The amino acid N with natural isotopic frequency amounted to a quarter for the basic amino acids, a tenth for the branched chain ones and for the non-essential ones (glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, glycine, alanine, proline) a third of the total oviduct 14N, The average quota of 15N' is only 3.6%, that of the branched chain amino acids 4.5 and that of the non-essential ones 21.1%. Consequently, the 15N' of the urea is mainly used for the synthesis of the non-essential amino acids of the oviduct.     

Dynamics of amino acid and protein metabolism of laying hens after the administration of 15N-labeled wheat protein. 3. Incorporation of 15N into egg shell, egg white and egg yolk

12 colostomized laying hybrids received a ration meeting their requirement of 15N labelled wheat with a 15N excess (15N') of 14.37 atom-% over 4 days. The 15N' of the total ration amounted to 4.47 atom-%. Each hen consumed 135 mg 15N' per day. On another 4 days the same rations with non labelled wheat were fed. The 12 hens laid 56 eggs during the 8 days of the experiment. They were divided into egg shell, white and yolk of egg. In addition, the protein of the white and yolk of egg was precipitated with trichloric acetic acid (TCA) and the nitrogen in these fractions was determined. On average of the 56 eggs, the N quota in the egg shell was 5.3%, in the white of egg 49.1% and in the yolk 45.6%. The atom-% 15N' in the shells of the eggs laid on the first day of the experiment was on average 0.21, whereas only 0.03 and 0.02 atom-% 15N' resp. could be detected in the white and yolks of the eggs. On the first day after the last 15N application the atom-% 15N' in the egg shell and the white of egg was highest and amounted to 2.33 and 2.43 atom-% resp. The highest value of 1.83 atom-% 15N' in the yolk was ascertained 3 days after the last 15N intake. The mean quota of TCA-precipitable N in the white of egg is 97.6% and in the yolk 94.4% of the respective total N. The atom-% 15N' in the non-protein N-compounds was higher than in the protein fractions.     

Dynamics of amino acid and protein metabolism in laying hens after the administration of 15N-labeled wheat protein. 10. 15N-labeling of crude protein and amino acids of the oviducts

Over a period of 4 days 12 colostomized laying hens daily received 36 g coarse wheat meal containing 14.37 atom-% 15N excess (15N') together with a conventional ration. After the homogenisation of each oviduct N and 15N' were determined. After the precipitation with TCA the 15N' of the amino acids was analysed in both the precipitate and the supernatant. In addition, the free amino acids and the peptides were determined in the TCA soluble fraction. The atom-% 15N' in the total N and in the non-basic amino acid N showed a parallel decrease; it diminished from 1.75 atom-% 15N' to 0.64. Of the three basic amino acids, lysine shows the lowest labelling at all four measuring points. The quotas of non-basic amino acid 14N and 15N' in the total 14N and 15N' of the oviduct are the same and amount to 53%. In contrast to this, the quota of the 14N of the basic amino acids in the total 14N of the oviduct only amounts to 21.6% and that of 15N' only to 15.4%. The average atom-% 15N' of the free amino acids 12 h after the last 15N application is 1.54 and is considerably above that of the peptides with 1.15 atom-% 15N'. 36 h after the last 15N application the ascertained value of 1.25 is identical in both fractions. The labelling of the free amino acids decreases more quickly than that of the peptides the more time has passed after the last 15N application.     

Studies with 15N-labeled lysine in colostomized hens. 1. 15N excretion in urine

0.2% L-lysine with an atom-% 15N-excess (15N') of 48% were given per day through a throat probe in an experiment to three colostomised laying hybrids in addition to a pelleted ration of 120 g per animal and day. In the following 4 days unlabelled L-lysine was given. As the labelled lysine was given three times a day, the development of 15N'-excretion could be pursued. 80 minutes after the 15N'-lysine dose a distinct atom-% 15N' could be detected in urine. 6 hours after the 15N'-application we rediscovered 2.9% (hen 1), 4.2% (hen 2) and 2.7% (hen 3) of the applied 15N'-amount in urine. 8 days after the beginning of the experiment the excretion of 15N' in urine averaged 17.5% of the consumed 15N'-amount. 44% of the nitrogen in the ration, however, was excreted in urine. The results showed that the lysine-N is excreted to a considerably lower extent in urine than the nitrogen in the remaining ration.     

Evaluation of 15N marked urea in the laying hen. 4. Incorporation of 15N in blood, its fractions and follicles in various developmental stages

In order to study the utilization of urea in poultry, 3 colostomized laying hybrids were orally supplied with a traditional ration supplemented with 1% 15N'-labelled urea with a 15N excess (15N') of 96.06 atom-% over a period of 6 days. After another 2 days on which the hens received the same ration with unlabelled urea, they were butchered. The atom-% 15N' of the blood on an average of the 3 hens was 0.64, of the plasma 1.40 and of the corpuscles 0.47. The TCA-soluble fraction of the blood had an average 15N' of 1.14 atom-%; the 15N amount is 9.7% of the total amount of 15N in the blood. The amount of 15N' in the urea in the blood was 6.8 atom-%. This shows that the absorbed urea is decomposed very slowly. The quota of 15N' in the basic amino acids from the total 15N' of the blood plasma is only 0.3% and that of the corpuscles 2.2%. The average 15N' of the mature follicles is 2.39 atom-% whereas the smallest and the remaining ovary contain 1.12 atom-%. The labelling level of lysine in mature egg cells was, in contrast to this, only 0.08 atom-% 15N' and in infantile follicles 0.04 atom-% 15N'. 1% of the 15N' quota is in the follicles and the remaining ovary. Of the basic amino acids, histidine is most strongly labelled. The as a whole lower incorporation of the 15N from urea into the basic amino acids shows that the nitrogen of this compound can be used for the synthesis of the essential amino acids to a low degree only.     

Response to lysine in a wheat gluten diet in adult minipigs after short-and long-term dietary adaptation as assessed with an indicator amino acid oxidation and balance technique

An experiment was conducted to examine the response to wheat gluten (WG)-based diets at two lysine levels in adult minipigs (23 kg BW) using the indicator AA oxidation (IAAO) approach and N balance. Twenty minipigs (n = five per group), fitted with reentrant ileoileal cannulas allowing collection of ileal effluents, were fed restrictively two WG-based diets (WG and WG + Lys; 2.7 and 6.6 g of lysine/kg, respectively) for adaptation periods of 10 and 100 d. On d 7 and 9, for pigs fed the diets for 10 d, and on d 97 and 99, for pigs fed the diets for 100 d, primed i.v. fasted/fed tracer protocols with [(13)C]bicarbonate, and [(13)C]leucine were performed. With the WG diet, [(13)C]bicarbonate recoveries (%) were lower irrespective of the adaptation period, and higher during the fed period (fasted: WG + Lys = 82.5, and WG = 69.1; fed: WG + Lys = 90.6, and WG = 85.9; P < 0.05). Leucine oxidation rate was higher with the lower lysine intake (WG = 194.6 vs. 109.5 mg/[kg BW x d]; P < 0.05). Wheat gluten feeding resulted in a negative leucine balance independent of the adaptation period (WG = -29.1, and WG + Lys = 48.2 mg/[kg BW x d]; P < 0.05). In contrast with the IAAO method, N balance did not differ between the two lysine intakes, possibly because of an underestimation of N losses. The finding of a lower (13)C bicarbonate recovery with the lower dietary lysine intake suggests that caution should be taken in using a single recovery factor for all AA oxidation studies.     

Dynamics of amino acid and protein metabolism of laying hens after administration of 15N-labeled wheat protein. 5. Incorporation of 15N into the blood fraction and its amino acids

12 colostomized laying hens which received 15N labelled wheat over 4 days were butchered 12 h, 36 h, 60 h and 108 h (3 animals each) after the last 15N application. The intake of 15N excess (15N') from the wheat amounted to 540 mg 15N' during the application period. The 15N' in the blood plasma decreased after the last 15N' application from 0.76 atom-% to 0.55 atom-% after 108 h, the labelling of the corpuscular components at the same measuring points increased from 0.28 to 0.50 atom-% 15N'. 96.6% of the plasma 15N' and 93.8% of that in the corpuscles is precipitable in trichloric acetic acid. The atom-% 15N' of histidine in the total blood remained unchanged in dependence on the butchering time. The 15N amount in lysine and arginine and that in the non-basic amino acids decreased inconsiderably in the period between 12 h and 108 h after the last 15N' wheat feeding.     

15N-labeled lysine in colostomized laying hens. 5. 15N incorporation into blood fractions and the gastrointestinal tract

In the metabolism experiment three colostomized laying hens received, together with a commercial ration of 120 g, 0,2% 15N-labelled L-lysine with an atom-% 15N-excess (15N') of 48%; subsequently the same ration was fed over a period of 4 days with 0.2% unlabelled L-lysine. After the end of the experiment the hens were slaughtered. The atom-% 15N' was determined in total, in the lysine, histidine and arginine N in the corpuscles, the plasma, the NPN-fraction of the blood in the stomachs, the small intestine, the caecum and the rectum. 15N' in the corpuscles was 0.11 atom-%, in the blood plasma 0.17 atom-%, in the NPN-fraction of the blood 0.09 atom-%, in the tissue of the gastro-intestinal tract 0.11 atom-% and in its contents 0,12 atom-%. On average the blood contained per hen 77.9% lysine-15N', 16.4% arginine-15N' and 5.7% histidine-15N' of the basic amino acid-15N'. For the gastro-intestinal tract 78.7% lysine-15N', 19.0% arginine-15N' and 2.3% histidine-15N' of the 15N' of the basic amino acids were ascertained. In comparison to histidine the alpha-amino-N of lysine is incorporated to a considerably higher degree into arginine. For lysine and arginine the atom-% 15N' in the contents of the gastro-intestinal tract for days after the end of the supplementation of labelled lysine is between 8 and 10 times higher than in the feces of the last day of the experiment. This indicates a considerable secretion of the two amino acids in the gastro-intestinal tract and their re-absorption to a large extent.     

Metabolism of colostomized laying hens with 15N-labeled wheat. 2. Incorporation of the labeled nitrogen into fractions of the egg]

The colostomised hens received 15N-labelled wheat. For a period of 8 days the incorporation of the 15N excess (15N') into the albumen, the yolk and the egg-shell was measured. In addition to that, the values for atom-percent of 15N' in the amino acids lysine, histidien and arginine of the albumen and the yolk were ascertained. The egg-shell and the albumen were labelled shortly after the beginning of the experiment. In both fractions the atom-per cent of 15N' rises more quickly than in the yolk. After the withdrawal of the labelled feed the decrease in the yolk was slower than in the egg-shell and the albumen. Concerning the atom-per cent of 15N' there is hardly a difference between the total N and the amino acids. Despite the different supply with amino acids, the relation of histidine 15N' : lysine 15N' : arginine-15N' in the yolk and the albumen remains largely constant. It is 1 : 2 : 3 and corresponds to the quantitative relation of the N content of the three amino acids in the egg protein. The utilisation of 14N and 15N' of the wheat lysin for the egg synthesis amounts to approximately 50%. There are considerable differences between the utilisation of 15N' of the histidine and 15N' of the arginine and the 14N of the two dietary amino acids.     

Determining of nitrogen absorption and nitrogen secretion in different sections of the pig's intestine by digesta exchange between 15N labelled and unlabelled animals

In an experiment with 3 pigs (initial live weight 30 kg, each fitted with 2 re-entrant fistulas in duodenum and ileum, one labelled with 15N), the duodenal and ileum digesta was exchanged. The N and 15N contents were estimated in faeces, urine, duodenal and ileum digesta of all experimental animals as well as in special organs and in the contents of different tract sections. The 15N excess (15N') of N compounds secreted into the gut lumen was determined using the 15N' in pancreas, gut mucosa and TCA-soluble blood serum. From measuring the digesta passage through the 3 sections of the digestive tract: 1. mouth ... duodenum, 2. duodenum ... ileum, 3. ileum ... after (Krawielitzki et al., 1989) the absorption and secretion rates of nitrogen were calculated. Secretion into the 1st section amounted to 5.3 g N/d (= 15% of intake) and the absorption to approximately 1% of intake. In the 2nd section the corresponding dates were 8.9 resp. 38.6 g N/d (= 25 resp. 110% of N intake), and in the 3rd one 1.9 resp. 8.4 g N/d (= 5.6 resp. 24% of N intake). Total absorption amounted to 134% of N intake and the over all re-absorption of endogenous N compounds secreted into the gut lumen to about 90%. During the passage the amount of endogenous N (g/d) decreased from 5.3 at the duodenum to 3.8 at the ileum to 1.6 in the faeces, but the relative portion increased (13 resp. 35 resp. 39%). An incorporation into body proteins occurred only from N compounds absorbed in the 1st and in the 2nd section. N (or 15N) absorbed in the large intestine was almost quantitatively excreted by urine. The method of digesta exchange between cannulated labelled and unlabelled pigs seems to be a suitable method to estimate absorption and secretion of exogenous and endogenous N portions in various sections of the digestive tract.