EFFECT OF ORALLY ADMINISTERED UREA ON THE AMMONIA AND UREA CONCENTRATION IN THE BLOOD OF CATTLE AND SHEEP, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON BLOOD AMMONIA LEVELS ASSOCIATED WITH SYMPTOMS OF ALKALOSIS

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Abstract
Oral administration of 40 g. of urea in water soln. to a sheep under light anesthesia produced a rapid rise in urea and NH3 of the portal blood. Portal blood NH3 values, which continued to increase during the 2 hr. observation period and reached 8.4 mg.%, indicated hydrolysis of urea in the rumen and absorption of large quantities of NH3. When administered as a drench to steers, urea in amounts exceeding 100 g. produced a rapid rise in the levels of both urea and NH3 of the systemic blood. Ataxia appeared in steers when NH3 N of the systemic blood reached a level of approximately 2.5 mg.%, and symptoms of alkalosis followed by death occurred at a level of about 4 mg.%. When given as feed, mixed with other concentrates, urea in amts. up to 400 g. daily produced no ill effect in steers.

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