The effects of continuous intravenous and intraruminal infusions of urea on nitrogen metabolism in sheep

Abstract

Urea was infused into sheep both intravenously and intraruminally, and at several increasing rates. The infusions were continuous for at least 6 days for each quantity of urea infused. Three predominantly roughage rations were used. Two of these had the same roughage constituents; both had relatively low protein contents, but one contained starch. The amount of urea nitrogen retained in the body from the urea infused was greatest on the ration containing starch, when the nitrogen balance improved by as much as 4.3 g/day. The concentration of ammonia in the rumen increased linearly with the amount of urea infused by either route of administration, but was much higher in the sheep infused intraruminally. Plasma urea nitrogen concentrations increased linearly with each quantity of urea infused until they reached about 30 mg/100 ml. They increased above this concentration only in the sheep fed on the low protein roughage ration without starch. The results suggest that a renal mechanism for urea excretion may control the plasma urea nitrogen concentration at about 30 mg/100 ml under certain conditions.