The digestion of food by the grazing sheep. III. The quantity of protein reaching the small intestine

Abstract

An estimate has been made of the intake of dietary nitrogen and of the amount of digesta nitrogen reaching the duodenum in sheep eating fresh feed. In grazing sheep consuming an estimated 17–63 g nitrogen/day. 15–40 g digesta nitrogen/day reached the duodenum. Sheep eating cut forage consumed 25–63 g nitrogen/day, and 19–60 g nitrogen/day passed through the pylorus. About 70% of the digesta nitrogen reached the duodenum in the form of bound amino acids.