The influence of diet upon the quantity and types of amino acids entering and leaving the small intestine of sheep

Abstract

SUMMARYWether sheep were fed on six forage diets, namely, (1) barn-dried low-N hay, (2) barndried low-N hay plus urea infused intraruminally at 12·6 g/24 h, (3) dried sainfoin, (4) dried lucerne, (5) fresh red clover and (6) dried and pelleted red clover. The proportions of amino acids in the diet and in samples of digesta from the duodenum and ileum were determined.The relative proportions of individual amino acids in the duodenal digesta showed little variation despite the differences in intake and the variation in the proportions of amino acids in the feeds. Only the proportions of methionine, lysine, 2:6 diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) and aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) showed significant (P< 0·01) variation with respect to diet. In the ileal digesta the proportions of methionine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, AIB and DAPA showed significant variation by diet.With all diets except lucerne the quantity (g/day) of total amino acids presented at the duodenum was higher than the quantity ingested. There was no correlation between the quantity of total amino acids presented at the duodenum and the quantity disappearing within the small intestine.The duodenal digesta contained a significantly higher (P< 0·001) proportion of essential amino acids than did the ileal digesta. This difference was most marked with the diets which supplied a low amino acid intake.With all diets there was little apparent absorption of DAPA in the small intestine.