Metabolism of Labeled Linoleic-1-C14 Acid in the Sheep Rumen

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Abstract
Four western wethers with ligated reticulo-omasular orifices were used to conduct rumenal fat studies using labeled linoleic-1-C14 acid. Tagged compounds appeared in the jugular blood about 4 hours after dosing and increased rapidly between the eighth and twelfth hours. Most of the activity appeared in the non-steam distillable fraction, indicating that the compound absorbed from the rumen contained 10 or more carbons. About 0.3 to 0.5% of the total dose appeared in the rumen mucosa and muscularis. Activity also appeared in the liver, lung, kidneys, spleen, and kidney fat. Of the total dose, from 0.6 to 1.0% was degradated in the rumen. Eighty-five to 96% of the dose was recovered from the rumen of which only 3 to 6% was the original linoleic acid. Approximately 45% was hydrogenated to saturated acids, whereas 33 to 50% had been hydrogenated to oleic or elaidic acids. Unidentified acids accounted for only 5 to 17% of the recovered dose.