The Nucleic Acid and Nitrogen Concentration of a Bovine Skeletal Muscle During Emaciation and Repletion

Abstract

A feature of animal production in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world is the seasonal emaciation of livestock due to chronic protein and energy depletion during the long, dry seasons and frequent droughts, followed by protein repletion during the shorter wet season (Payne and Hutchinson 1963; Robinson and Sagemen 1967). Bearing the brunt of the protein depletion and probably buffering the effect of protein loss in the essential organs of the body are the skeletal muscles which represent a major protein store in the body (Masters 1963). Although such protein depletion of body tissues occurs in animals exposed to similar climatic conditions throughout the world, little work has been carried out to investigate its severity with respect to nitrogen wastage from muscle cells.