Effects of cold exposure on feed protein degradation, microbial protein synthesis and transfer of plasma urea to the rumen of sheep

Publisher： Cambridge University Press

E-ISSN： 1475-2662|47|3|521-535

ISSN： 0007-1145

Source： British Journal of Nutrition, Vol.47, Iss.3, 1982-05, pp. : 521-535

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

1. Three diets of barley–canula-seed (Brassica campestiris), lucerne (Medicago sativa) or chopped brome-grass (Bromus inermis) were given at intervals of 3 h to closely-shorn Suffolk wethers held at a temperature of 1–5° (cold) or 22–24° (warm). Apparent digestibility of organic matter (OM) and nitrogen was reduced by 0·08–0·05 and 0·04 units respectively for lucerne and brome-grass diets given to cold-exposed sheep, but no treatment effects on digestibility were observed for the barley–CSM diet. Measurements achieved using infusion of the digesta markers ⁵⁸Co-EDTA and ¹⁰³Ru-phenanthroline (¹⁰³Ru-P) showed that cold exposure depressed apparent OM digestion in the stomach and intestines by 33 and 42 g/d for the lucerne diet, and 13 and 35 g/d for the brome-grass diet respectively.