Factors affecting the capture of dietary nitrogen by micro-organisms in the forestomachs of the young steer. Experiments with [15N]urea

Abstract

1. For a period of at least 2 weeks before an experimental collection each of four young steers received total daily intakes consisting of approximately (g/kg) 600 straw and 400 concentrates with the nitrogen provided mainly as urea and in which the main energy source was starch (tapioca) for diet 1 and glucose for diet 2. Concentrates were given twice daily at about 09·00 and 17·00 hours, straw at 17·00 hours only. The value for the ratio, rumen-degradable N: metabolisable energy (g/MJ) in the daily intake was estimated to be approximately 1·2.2. On the day that an experimental collection was to be made the urea normally given in the feed at 09·00 hours was labelled with 15N. This urea and sometimes the appropriate energy source were added either as a single dose (SD) at 09·00 hours or in three equally-divided doses (DD) at 09·00, 11·00 and 13·00 hours. Treatments, given in a Latin-square design, were: (A), starch (SD)+ urea (SD); (B), starch (SD) + urea (DD); (C), glucose (SD) + urea (DD); (D), glucose (DD) + urea (DD). Doses of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 144Ce (as cerous chloride) were given as markers with the urea.3. After these doses were given, samples of abomasal and duodenal digesta were taken periodically for 72 h. It appeared that virtually all the PEG had left the rumen by this time and mean recovery of 144Ce relative to PEG was approximately 90%. From recoveries of non-ammonia-15N (microbial 15N) at the abomasum, estimated relative to PEG, values for mean fractional efficiencies of conversion of urea-N to microbial-N were calculated to be 0·59, 0·59, 0·40 and 0·41 for treatments A, B, C and D respectively. Values for treatments A and B were significantly greater than those for treatments C and D but no other differences were significant. Examination of duodenal samples led to similar conclusions.4. It was concluded that starch was a more suitable energy source than glucose for maximal capture of ammonia-N for microbial synthesis but that spreading the urea and glucose doses in an attempt to match energy and ammonia release rates had no significant effect on capture efficiency.