Comparison of purines and nitrogen-15 as microbial flow markers in beef heifers fed barley- or corn-based diets

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Hristov ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
D. R. Ouellet ◽  
G. A. Broderick

The objective of this study was to estimate the contribution of microbial purine bases to duodenal purines and to purine derivatives [allantoin and uric acid (PD)] excreted in the urine. Additionally, microbial protein (MCP) flow estimated using duodenal flow of purine bases was compared to estimates using 15N as a microbial marker. Four beef heifers were fed two diets, barley silage/barley grain/soybean meal (diet B) or corn silage/corn grain/corn gluten meal (diet C), in a cross-over design study. (15NH4)2SO4 was infused in the rumen for 8 d to label ruminal microorganisms and their purine bases. Rumen contents, duodenal digesta, urine, and feces were sampled during the last 2 d of tracer infusion and for 48 h after the infusion ceased. The animals consumed more (P < 0.01) dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), N, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) with diet B than with diet C. Total tract digestibilities of DM, OM, and NDF were also higher (P < 0.01) with diet B. Ruminal ammonia (P < 0.01), volatile fatty acids (P < 0.05), and acetate (P < 0.01) concentrations and xylanase activity (P < 0.05) were higher with diet B compared with diet C. Flow of MCP to the duodenum was estimated from duodenal samples using purines or 15N as microbial markers, or from urinary PD excretion. The effects of diet or method of measurement on MCP flow were not significant. However, when the urinary PD method was excluded from the analysis, MCP flow was greater (by 26%; P = 0.01) when estimated using 15N vs. the purine-based method. The difference was mainly due to underestimation of the proportion of microbial N in the liquid duodenal digesta with the purine method. Feed purines contributed from 3.5 (liquid digesta phase) to 19.7% (solid digesta phase) of the total purine flow at the duodenum. 15N enrichment of urinary PD was 1.08 of the enrichment of duodenal purines, suggesting that feed purines contributed little N to urinary allantoin and uric acid in cattle. Key words: Allantoin, cattle, microbial protein synthesis, nitrogen-15, purine derivative

1990 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Verbic ◽  
X. B. Chen ◽  
N. A. MacLeod ◽  
E. R. Ørskov

SUMMARYTwo steers totally nourished by intragastric infusion of volatile fatty acids and casein were given an abomasal infusion of a microbial protein preparation (Pruteen) at eight rates with a purine input ranging from 0 to 170 mmol/day over 11 successive 5-day periods. The urinary excretion of purine derivatives relative to the purine input was measured. Negligible amounts of xanthine plus hypoxanthine were present in the urine. The relative contributions of allantoin and uric acid to the total excretion were not affected by the rate of purine infusion. Total purine derivative excretion (uric acid and allantoin) was linearly correlated with purine input. Recovery in the urine of the infused purines was 0·77. It is suggested that utilization of exogenous purines may only occur in the intestinal mucosa and that the remaining purines may be completely converted, before entering the liver, to uric acid and allantoin, which are subsequently eliminated by the renal and extrarenal routes. The differences between cattle and sheep in excretion of purine derivatives, and the implications of these differences for the use of purine excretion values in order to estimate microbial protein supply to the ruminant, are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Vyas ◽  
A. Alazzeh ◽  
S. M. McGinn ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
O. M. Harstad ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of Propionibacterium strains to mitigate enteric methane (CH4) emissions in beef heifers fed a mixed diet. An experiment was conducted with 16 ruminally cannulated beef heifers fed a basal diet consisting of 60 : 40 barley silage : barley grain (DM basis). Treatments included: (1) Control, (2) Propionibacterium freudenreichii T114, (3) P. thoenii T159, and (4) P. freudenreichii T54. Strains (1 × 1011 colony forming units) were administered daily directly into the rumen before feeding. No treatment effects were observed for DM intake (P = 0.90), mean ruminal pH (P = 0.50) and total volatile fatty acids (P = 0.44). However, compared with the Control, proportions of individual volatile fatty acids changed with acetate being less with Propionibacterium T159 (P = 0.02), whereas ruminal isobutyrate (P < 0.01) and acetate : propionate ratio (P = 0.04) were greater with Propionibacterium T114. Total daily enteric CH4 production averaged 188 g/day and was not affected by Propionbacterium strains (P = 0.51). Methane yield averaged 22 g/kg of DMI intake and tended to be greater with Propionibacterium strains (P = 0.08). The relative abundance of total Propionibacteria was greater with the inoculation of Propionibacterium T159 relative to the Control heifers (P = 0.04). In conclusion, inoculation of Propionibacterium T159 decreased ruminal acetate proportion and Propionibacterium T114 increased acetate : propionate ratio. However, inoculated strains failed to lower total CH4 emissions possibly due to the inability of Propionibacterium strains to elevate ruminal propionate concentrations.


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 779-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. -Q. Chen ◽  
E. K. Okine ◽  
M. A. Price ◽  
G. R. Khorasani

Four diets in which peas progressively replaced barley [0% (0P), 30% (30P), 50% (50P), and 100% peas (100P)] and one in which canola meal (CM) replaced 10% of the barley, were fed to 90 beef heifers (initial weight 215.8 ± 13.8 kg). The heifers achieved average daily gains (ADGs) of 0.72, 0.80, 0.79, 0.83, and 0.76 kg d-1 on the five diets, respectively, with the difference between the 0P group and the 100P group being significant (P = 0.028). The total feed costs of gain were $0.786, 0.779, 0.799, 0.860, and 0.817 kg-1 for the five groups, respectively, with the cost of gain being significantly greater (P < 0.05) for the 100P group than for the 0P, 30P or 50P groups. The latter three were not significantly different from each other. Three rumen-cannulated steers (575 ± 56.3 kg) were used to estimate the degradability of the dry matter (DM) and N in the barley straw (BS), CM, barley grain (BG) and peas used in the feeding trial. The rumen undegradable protein (RUP) levels supplied by the five diets were 17.5, 19.0, 19.9, 21.5, and 22.5%, respectively, and all of them met the requirements of these cattle. The RUP content of peas ground through a 1-mm screen was lower than that of peas ground through 2- or 4-mm screens (P < 0.01), which were themselves not significantly different from each other (P = 0.67). The low RUP content of peas was not a limiting factor for growth in backgrounding cattle. Key words: Cattle, field peas, dry matter intake, feed conversion efficiency, rumen me


2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wang ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
L. M. Rode ◽  
K. A. Beauchemin ◽  
D. P. Morgavi ◽  
...  

The effects of an exogenous enzyme preparation, the application method and feed type on ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis were investigated using the rumen simulation technique (Rusitec). Steam-rolled barley grain and chopped alfalfa hay were sprayed with water (control, C), an enzyme preparation with a predominant xylanase activity (EF), or autoclaved enzyme (AEF) 24 h prior to feeding, or the enzyme was supplied in the buffer infused into the Rusitec (EI). Microbial N incorporation was measured using (15NH4)2SO4in the buffer. Spent feed bags were pummelled mechanically in buffer to segregate the feed particle-associated (FPA) and feed particle-bound (FPB) bacterial fractions. Enzymes applied to feed reduced neutral-detergent fibre content, and increased the concentration of reducing sugars in barley grain, but not alfalfa hay. Ruminal cellulolytic bacteria were more numerous with EF than with C. Disappearance of DM from barley grain was higher with EF than with C, but alfalfa was unaffected by EF. Treatment EF increased incorporation of15N into FPA and FPB fractions at 24 and 48 h. In contrast, AEF reduced the 24 h values, relative to C; AEF and C were similar at 48 h. Infused enzyme (EI) did not affect15N incorporation. Xylanase activity in effluent was increased by EF and EI, compared to C, but not by AEF. Xylanase activity in FPA was higher at 48 h than at 24 h with all treatments; it was higher with EF than C at 24 and 48 h, but was not altered by AEF or EI. Applying enzymes onto feeds before feeding was more effective than dosing directly into the artificial rumen for increasing ruminal fibrolytic activity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 691-702
Author(s):  
K. Stanford ◽  
H. Sultana ◽  
M.L. He ◽  
M. Dugan ◽  
T.A. McAllister

Two simulated rumens (Rusitecs) were used to assess the effects of flaxseed (FS) and (or) vitamin E (VE) on rumen fermentation, fatty acid (FA) biohydrogenation, and microbial protein synthesis. Ground FS replaced 0% or 15% of barley grain, along with VE at 0 or 1000 IU d−1 in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. Flaxseed lowered neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.001) and acid detergent fiber (P = 0.01) and increased (P = 0.001) nitrogen (N) disappearance. Flaxseed also increased (P = 0.01) total volatile FA and decreased (P = 0.001) acetate production. When both FS and VE were included, the acetate:propionate ratio decreased (P = 0.04). Biohydrogenation of FA was not influenced by VE, but total FA and C18:0 in effluent were increased (P = 0.001) and C16:0 decreased (P = 0.001) by FS. With VE, total microbial N (MN) was increased (P = 0.001). In the concentrate, production of MN in feed-particle-bound bacteria was increased (P = 0.001) by VE. Vitamin E did not alter FA biohydrogenation but did promote MN production. The stable and relatively high pH in the Rusitec may have prevented the typical shift from C18:1 trans-11 to C18:1 trans-10 with concentrate diets. Future studies simulating subclinical acidosis in the Rusitec may illuminate ruminal mode(s) of action of VE on FA biohydrogenation.


1991 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Balcells ◽  
J. A. Guada ◽  
C. Castrillo ◽  
J. Gasa

SUMMARYTwo experiments were carried out to determine endogenous losses and the response of urinary purine derivatives to increased duodenal inputs of purine bases. Four ewes each fitted with a re-entrant cannula at the proximal duodenum, and conventionally fed, were subjected to full replacement of duodenal digesta followed by the administration of a solution either free of purines (Expt 1) or enriched with increasing amounts of purines, to supply 0·48–21·27 mmol/animal per day (Expt 2). Basal daily urinary excretions of allantoin, uric acid, hypoxanthine and xanthine were 11·5 ± 0·94, 9·9 ± 0·67, 6·9 ± 0·46 and 1·2 ±0·16 mg/kg W0·75. Allantoin was the only purine derivative which increased in response to incremental inputs of duodenal purines. The relationship between allantoin excretion and infused purines showed a urinary recovery of 0·8 for purines infused at > 220 μmol/kg W0·76. Lower rates of infusion did not alter allantoin excretion. The results show urinary allantoin to be a useful index to estimate duodenal input of purines when animals are fed close to or above their energy maintenance requirements.


2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Askar ◽  
J. A. Guada ◽  
J. Balcells ◽  
A. de Vega ◽  
C. Castrillo

AbstractThe origin of post-ruminal purine bases (PB) was studied in 24 growing lambs that were given a pelleted concentrate plus barley straw (C) or whole barley grain plus protein supplement (WB). Six lambs from each treatment were slaughtered at 10 and 30 days post weaning after15N labelling of microbial nitrogen (N) and PB. Microbial contribution to digesta non-ammonia N (NAN) and PB was lower (P< 0·01) when estimated from duodenal rather than abomasal samples (0·36 v. 0·52 (s.e.d. 0·021) for NAN and 0·47 v. 0·77 (s.e.d. 0·029) for PB) as a result of endogenous contamination. In comparison with15N, total PB/N led to higher estimates (P< 0·01) of microbial contribution to abomasal NAN in WB treatment (0·62 v. 0·46 s.e.d. 0·049). The difference was removed after correcting for microbial PB, while this effect was not observed with < the C diet, resulting in a marker by diet interaction (P< 0·05). Abomasal PB flow increased (P< 0·1) from 10 to 30 days after weaning mainly due to the higher proportion of microbial PB (0·70 v. 0·81 (s.e.d. 0·047)). Rumen apparent PB degradation did not differ between diets in older lambs, but it was proportionally 0·39 lower for WB treatment (P< 0·05) in younger lambs. When the microbial PB flow was estimated indirectly from labelled microbial N and the PB/N ratio of bacterial extracts the estimates were in agreement with those derived from PB-15N in the WB treatment but resulted in unrealistic values in lambs on diet C. Results suggest that significant proportions of dietary PB can escape rumen degradation which may lead to overestimation of microbial contribution to abomasal NAN when the PB/N ratio is used as marker. The extent of the overestimation is affected by the lamb age and grain processing.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (8) ◽  
pp. 3535-3549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atef M Saleem ◽  
Gabriel O Ribeiro ◽  
Haley Sanderson ◽  
Daryoush Alipour ◽  
Tassilo Brand ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study investigated the effect of treatment of wheat straw using ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) and exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (Viscozyme) on fiber digestibility, rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, and microbial populations in an artificial rumen system [Rumen Simulation Technique (RUSITEC)]. Four treatments were assigned to 16 vessels (4 per treatment) in 2 RUSITEC apparatuses in a randomized block design. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial using untreated or AFEX-treated wheat straw with or without exogenous fibrolytic enzymes [0 or 500 μg of protein/g straw dry matter (DM)]. Fibrolytic enzymes were applied to straw, prior to sealing in nylon bags. The concentrate mixture was provided in a separate bag within each fermentation vessel. The RUSITECs were adapted for 8 d and disappearance of DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and crude protein (CP) was measured after 48 h of incubation. Ammonia fiber expansion increased (P < 0.01) the disappearance of wheat straw DM (69.6 vs. 38.3%), NDF (65.6 vs. 36.8%), ADF (61.4 vs. 36.0%), and CP (68.3 vs. 24.0%). Total dietary DM, organic matter (OM), and NDF disappearance was also increased (P ≤ 0.05) by enzymes. Total microbial protein production was greater (P < 0.01) for AFEX-treated (72.9 mg/d) than untreated straw (63.1 mg/d). Total gas and methane (CH4) production (P < 0.01) were also greater for AFEX-treated wheat straw than untreated straw, with a tendency for total gas to increase (P = 0.06) with enzymes. Ammonia fiber expansion increased (P < 0.01) total volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and the molar proportion of propionate, while it decreased (P < 0.01) acetate and the acetate-to-propionate ratio. The AFEX-treated straw had lower relative quantities of fungi, methanogens, and Fibrobacter succinogenes (P < 0.01) and fewer protozoa (P < 0.01) compared to untreated straw. The pH of fermenters fed AFEX-treated straw was lower (P < 0.01) than those fed untreated straw. Both AFEX (P < 0.01) and enzymes (P = 0.02) decreased xylanase activity. There was an enzyme × straw interaction (P = 0.02) for endoglucanase activity. Enzymes increased endoglucanase activity of AFEX-treated wheat straw, but had no effect on untreated straw. The addition of enzymes lowered the relative abundance of Ruminococcus flavefaciens, but increased F. succinogenes. These results indicate that AFEX increased the ruminal disappearance of wheat straw and improved fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in the RUSITEC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 395-395
Author(s):  
Paul Tamayao ◽  
Gabriel O Ribeiro ◽  
Tim A McAllister ◽  
Hee-Eun Yang ◽  
A M Saleem ◽  
...  

Abstract This study investigated the effects of post-pyrolysis treated biochar on nutrient disappearance, total gas and methane (CH4) production, rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in an artificial rumen system (RUSITEC) fed a barley silage-based diet. The basal diet consisted of 60% barley silage, 27% barley grain, 10% canola meal and 3% mineral/vitamin supplement (DM basis). Three spruced-based biochars, treated post-pyrolysis with either zinc chloride, hydrochloric acid/nitric acid mixture or sulfuric acid were added at 2.0% of substrate DM. In a randomized complete block design, treatments were assigned to sixteen vessels (n = 4/treatment) in two RUSITEC systems. The experiment was conducted over 15 d, with 8 d of adaptation and 7 d of sampling. Nutrient disappearance of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was determined after 48 h of incubation from d 9 to 12, and microbial protein synthesis was measured from d 13–15. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS, with the fixed effect of treatment and random effect of RUSITEC system and vessel. Biochar inclusion did not affect disappearance of DM (P = 0.49), OM (P = 0.60), CP (P = 0.14), NDF (P = 0.48), ADF (P = 0.11) or starch (P = 0.58). Biochar also had no effect on total gas production (P = 0.31) or CH4 produced expressed as a % of total gas production (P = 0.06), mg/d (P = 0.70), mg/g of DM incubated (P = 0.74), or mg/g of DM digested (P = 0.64). No effect on total VFA (P = 0.56) or NH3-N (P = 0.20) production were observed. Neither microbial protein synthesis nor total protozoa count were affected by biochar addition (P &gt; 0.05). In conclusion, biochar inclusion in a silage-based diet did not exhibit the potential to mitigate CH4 emissions or improve digestion in a RUSITEC system.


1975 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Harrison ◽  
D. E. Beever ◽  
D. J. Thomson ◽  
D. F. Osbourn

SUMMARYThe effects of an altered rumen dilution rate (D) upon the molar proportions of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in rumen liquor, VFA production rate, microbial protein synthesis and carbohydrate digestion within the rumen were studied using adult wether sheep.Dilution rate and VFA proportions were unaltered by the infusion of up to 121 water/day into the rumen of sheep fed dried grass and concentrate (9:1). There was a small but significant (P< 0·05) increase in the rumen volume when the infusion rate was increased from 8 to 12 1/day.The intraruminal infusion of artificial saliva (41/day), or artificial saliva containing 4% or 8% w/v polyethylene glycol (PEG) caused a significant increase in D with an associated decline in the molar proportion of propionate (Pr) in the rumen liquor. A similar effect was obtained with the intraruminal infusion of 2·5% w/v sodium bicarbonate. The overall regression of Pr on D was highly significant: Pr = 32·5–82·1D;r= –0·99, P < 0·001.A diet of flaked maize: dried grass (6:4) was offered to three sheep each fitted with a rumen cannula and with a re-entrant cannula at the proximal duodenum. The intraruminal infusion (4 1/day) of artificial saliva containing 4% w/v PEG caused a significant (P< 0·01) increase in D and a significant (P< 0·01) depression in Pr in two animals. The dilution rate and Pr in the third animal were virtually unaltered by infusion. The regression of Pr on D for the three animals was highly significant: Pr = 34·8–136·8D; r = –0·98, P < 0·001. Each increase in D was associated with an increased flow of α-linked glucose polymer, total amino acids and total microbial amino acids into the small intestine and with an increased efficiency of microbial protein synthesis within the rumen.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document