Sulphur metabolism in sheep. II. The absorption of inorganic sulphate and inorganic sulphide from the sheep's rumen

Abstract

The absorption of inorganic [³⁵S]sulphate and inorganic [³⁵S]sulphide from the reticulorumen was studied by measuring the decrease of radioactivity and decrease in sulphide concentration in the rumen and by the increase in radioactivity in the bloodstream. Normal rumen contents were replaced with buffer solution (pH 6.6).

The pattern of sulphide disappearance from the rumen followed that of a first order reaction and was extremely rapid. The estimated half-life of rumen sulphide ranged from 10 to 22 min. Direct absorption from the rumen appeared to be the main mechanism involved in the sulphide loss.

Under similar conditions little sulphate was lost from the rumen and absorption of sulphate across the rumen wall appeared to be negligible.