Glucose and Acetate Metabolism in Sheep at Rest and During Exercise

Abstract

Total entry rate of blood glucose and the rate of irreversible loss of blood acetate and its oxidation have been examined in sheep at rest and while walking on a horizontal treadmill at 5 km/h for 2 h. Sheep were given their daily ration of 1000 g chaff in 24 equal portions at hourly intervals and received multiple intravenous injections of [2-3H]glucose and intravenous infusions of [1-14C]acetate and NaH14C03 ? At rest the total entry rate of blood glucose was 0·44 ± 0·03 mmol/min (values given as mean ± s.e.m. for four sheep), the glucose pool was 23 ± 1 mmol and the rate of irreversible loss of blood acetate was 2·3 ± 0·1 mmol/min. During exercise, the total entry rate of blood glucose was 0·84 ± O· 04 mmol/min, the glucose pool was 27 ± 2 mmol and the rate of irreversible loss of blood acetate was 2·6 ± O· 1 mmol/min.