Protein metabolism in growing lambs fed on fresh ryegrass (Lolium perenne)–clover (Trifolium repens) pasture ad lib. 1. Protein and energy deposition in response to abomasal infusion of casein and methionine

Abstract

1. Male lambs that had been born in autumn and wintered on forage diets were cannulated in the abomasum, confined indoors in individual pens, and fed on fresh primary growth ryegrass (Lolium perenne) – clover (Trifolium repens) pasture ad lib, for a 12-week period during spring. Mean diet organic matter digestibility (OMD) was 0/76, nitrogen content 29 g/kg dry matter (DM) and metabolizable energy (ME) content 11.1 MJ/kg DM. Thirteen lambs were infused into the abomasum with 44 g sodium caseinate +0/5 g L-methionine/d and 12 lambs were similarly infused with equivalent amounts of inorganic sodium and phosphorus. Initial live weight was 16/5 kg.2. The twenty-five treatment lambs were slaughtered at the end of the experiment, and thirteen similar lambs were slaughtered when the experiment commenced. Body composition was determined and rates of protein, fat and energy deposition were calculated using comparative slaughter procedures.3. Voluntary herbage DOM intakes tended to be slightly greater for control than protein-infused lambs, but calculated ME intakes including that infused as amino acids were similar for the two groups. Live-weight gains were 79 and 99 g/d for control and protein-infused lambs respectively (P < 0/05) and corresponding values for carcass gain: live-weight gain were 0/44 and 0/50 (P < 0/01), Wool growth was markedly increased by the amino acid infusion.4. Carcass and whole body protein content was increased 10 g/kg by the protein infusion (P < 0/01) and fat content depressed approximately 25 g/kg (P < 0/05). Rates of protein deposition in both carcass and wool-free whole body were markedly increased by protein infusion, and total deposition including wool was 12.6 and 21.0 g/d for control and protein-infused lambs (P < 0/001). Energy deposited in protein as a proportion of total energy deposition was 0/27 and 0/41 for control and protein-infused lambs (P < 0/001), but total energy retention and the efficiency of utilization of ME for growth did not differ between the two groups of lambs.5. It was estimated that 60 and 100 g total amino acids/d were absorbed from the small intestine in the control and protein-infused lambs respectively, corresponding to 0.16 and 0/25 of total ME intake. It was concluded that absorption of protein from the small intestine was limiting protein deposition in the growing lambs fed on fresh ryegrass-based spring pasture in this study. Absorption of cystine+methionine was specifically shown to be limiting. However, the protein deficiency was not a major factor in the low value for the efficiency of utilization of ME for growth for this diet (0/30).