
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Chilcott, MJ 
A1  - Hume, ID 
T1  - Nitrogen and Urea Metabolism and Nitrogen Requirements of the Common Ringtail Possum, Pseudocheirus Peregrinus, Fed Eucalyptus Andrewsii Foliage.
JF  - Australian Journal of Zoology
JO  - Aust. J. Zool.
Y1  - 1984
VL  - 32
IS  - 5
SP  - 615
EP  - 622
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9840615 
N2  - The maintenance nitrogen requirement of mature common ringtail possums, Pseudocheirusperegrinus, feeding on a sole diet of Eucalyptus andrewsii foliage was estimated to be 380 mg.kg-0.75.d-¹ on a dietary basis and 290 mg.kg-0.75.d-¹ on a truly digestible basis. The difference between these two estimates was due to a low true digestibility of nitrogen of 79%. Apparent digestibility of nitrogen was 58%. The level of urea metabolism in the ringtail was low compared with other herbivores. Only 40 mg urea-nitrogen.kg-0.75 was recycled to the gut each day, but this was 96% of irreversible loss rate (i.e. endogenous synthesis rate) and 11% of the ringtail's intake of truly digestible nitrogen. A low maintenance requirement for nitrogen, together with the recycling of a high proportion of endogenous urea to the gut, helps to explain the ability of the ringtail possum to remain in positive nitrogen balance on a sole diet of E. andrewsii foliage of only 1.1% nitrogen content. 
ER  -

