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Some observations on the distribution and origin of nitrogen in sheep faeces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

V. C. Mason
V. C. Mason
Affiliation:
Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9 SB
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Summary

1. Three methods, based on treatment with neutral detergent or acid detergent, or involving ultrasonic disintegration, are described and compared for the direct estimation of undigested dietary nitrogen in individual samples of sheep faeces. Estimates of the true digestibility of the nitrogen in several sheep diets derived from analyses performed with these methods agreed well with each other, and were in accord with published estimates, derived by extrapolation techniques. Two other methods, based on treatment with phenol–acetic acid–water, and lysozyme–trypsin, respectively, were found to be unsuitable for such estimates.

2. The quantitative distribution of nitrogen between undigested dietary residues, bacterial residues, endogenous debris residues and the water soluble fraction was determined chemically. It was concluded that 57–81% of the non-dietary faecal nitrogen was associated with bacterial material.

3. Indirect evidence suggested that most of the bacterial nitrogen in faeces originated in the rumen.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 73 , Issue 1 , August 1969 , pp. 99 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

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