Studies of zinc nutrition in sheep. II*. The influence of zinc deficiency in ram lambs upon the digestibility of the dry matter and the utilization of the nitrogen and sulphur of the diet

Abstract

Dry matter digestibilities and nitrogen and sulphur balances were compared in ram iambs fed on a zinc-deficient diet containing 2.4 p.p.m. zinc and showing clinical signs of zinc deficiency and in pair-fed ram lambs consuming the same basal diet supplemented with 30 p.p.m. zinc.

Dry matter digestibility was similar for the two treatments but both nitrogen retention and sulphur retention were significantly lower in the zinc-deficient animals, although they were consuming and digesting the same amounts of food. Faecal excretion of nitrogen and sulphur was similar in the two groups but the urinary excretion of both these elements was significantly elevated in the zinc-deficient animals.

These findings provide further evidence that protein utilization is impaired in zinc deficiency in sheep.

*Part I, Aust. J. agric. Res., 1969, 20, 889.