Effect of Jackbean Urease Injections on Performance, Anti-Urease Production and Plasma Ammonia and Urea Levels in Sheep

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Abstract
Ninety-three lambs were used in four trials to determine the effect of varying levels of subcutaneous jackbean urease injection on antiurease production and rate and efficiency of gain in lambs. Urease immunity was produced in all sheep which received urease injections. Rate of gain and feed efficiency were increased in three of the four trials, indicating that the utilization of urea was improved. When nine lambs were drenched with a solution containing 10 gm. urea and 50 gm. dextrose and bled via jugular puncture just prior to and for 12 hr. after drenching, plasma urea levels were higher in animals which had antiurease liters. In another group of four animals, two of which had been immunized by injecting 750 Sumner units of jackbean urease before being given the urea-dextrose solution by intraruminal infusion, it was found that the blood taken initially and for 6 consecutive hr. from the ruminal, jugular, and cecal veins of immunized lambs contained lower levels of plasma ammonia and higher plasma urea levels than the controls. The data indicate that the ureolytic action of the rumen fluid was decreased by urease immunity, and as a result the absorption of ammonia was decreased while that of urea was increased. Copyright © 1965. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1965 by American Society of Animal Science

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