The effect of intragastric infusion of glucose, lipids or acetate on fasting nitrogen excretion and blood metabolites in sheep

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Abstract
1. Two experiments are reported in which the effect of the intragastric infusion of non-protein energy on fasting nitrogen losses was studied. Expt 1 was a preliminary trial with two 35 kg lambs given 0, 144, 288 or 432 kJ/kg live weight (W)0.75per d as lipid or glucose infused into the abomasum for periods of 3 d. Expt 2 was of a 4 x 4 Latin square design with four sheep of about 30 kg live weight. The four treatments were control (fasted with water infusion), or the infusion of 144 W/kg W0.75per d as glucose or lipid into the abomasum or as acetic acid into the reticulo-rumen.2. Compared with the fasted control, glucose infusion reduced (P < 0.05) N excretion to about 0.6 of that of the control, increased (P < 0.05) plasma glucose, decreased (P < 0.05) plasma urea and β-hydroxybutyrate, and was without effect on plasma amino-N or creatinine excretion.3. Lipid and acetate infusions were without statistically significant effect on N or creatinine excretion or any of the blood indices measured, with the exception of plasma glucose which was reduced (P < 0.05) with acetate infusion.