Ruminal Infusion of Ammonium Chloride in Lactating Cows to Determine Effect of pH on Ammonia Trapping

Kertz, A.F.; Davidson, L.E.; Cords, B.R.; Puch, H.C.

doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(83)82133-x

Cited by 16 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…However, supplementing medium and high dosage (i.e., 3.22 mg N and 5.35 mg N) of SRU and urea in high-grain diets lowered the pH of the fermentation vessels. This observation is contrary to the assertion that ruminal ammonia from urea could increase ruminal pH, as ammonia protonates to ammonium [44]. Notably, the lower pH in the present study was accompanied by an increase in lactic acid accumulation particularly in high-grain diets supplemented with NPN sources (SRU and urea).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Slow-Release Urea as a Sustainable Alternative to Soybean Meal in Ruminant Nutrition

Salami¹,

Devant

Apajalahti

et al. 2021

Sustainability

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Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using a commercial slow-release urea product (SRU; Optigen®, Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY, USA) as a partial replacement for vegetable protein sources in cattle diets. The first experiment was an in vitro rumen fermentation that evaluated the effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM) nitrogen with nitrogen from either SRU or free urea in diets varying in forage:concentrate ratios. The second experiment examined the effect of replacing SBM with SRU on in situ dry matter and nitrogen degradability in the rumen. In the third experiment, a feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing SBM (0% as-fed SRU) with 1% or 3% as-fed SRU on feed carbon footprint (CFP; total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the life cycle of feed raw materials) and the toxicity potential of SRU in growing beef cattle. Results showed that replacing SBM with SRU up to 1.3% did not negatively affect in vitro rumen fermentation parameters. Supplementing SRU favourably decreased ruminal accumulation of ammonia and lactic acid when compared to free urea. There was no significant effect on effective rumen degradability of dry matter and nitrogen when one-third of SBM was replaced by SRU in the in situ study. Compared with the 0% SRU diet, feed CFP decreased by 18% and 54% in 1% SRU and 3% SRU diets, respectively. Additionally, feeding up to 3% SRU diet to beef cattle did not affect health and intake, and blood hematological and biochemical indices were within the physiological range for healthy bulls, suggesting no indication of ammonia toxicity. Overall, these results indicate that SRU can be used as a sustainable alternative to partially replace vegetable protein sources in ruminant diets without compromising rumen function and health of ruminants.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Slow-Release Urea as a Sustainable Alternative to Soybean Meal in Ruminant Nutrition

Salami¹,

Devant

Apajalahti

et al. 2021

Sustainability

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“…In the first infusion experiment presented here, we found that the source of NPN influences intake and diet digestibility when infused into the rumen or the abomasum. Earlier work on the effect of NPN source indicates that when delivered directly to the rumen, ammonia caused a slight depression in forage intake, elevated ruminal pH and blood urea N (Kertz, Davidson, Cords, & Puch, 1983). We found that dry matter intake was significantly depressed when ammonia was infused into the rumen compared with the abomasum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 42%

“…Earlier work on the effect of NPN source indicates that when delivered directly to the rumen, ammonia caused a slight depression in forage intake, elevated ruminal pH and blood urea N (Kertz, Davidson, Cords, & Puch, 1983). Earlier work on the effect of NPN source indicates that when delivered directly to the rumen, ammonia caused a slight depression in forage intake, elevated ruminal pH and blood urea N (Kertz, Davidson, Cords, & Puch, 1983).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐ruminal non‐protein nitrogen supplementation as a strategy to improve fibre digestion and N efficiency in the ruminant

Carvalho¹,

Doelman²,

Martín-Tereso³

2019

Animal Physiology Nutrition

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The ruminant is able to transform plant fibres and non‐protein nitrogen (NPN) into edible foods for human consumption. In an effort towards improving our understanding of this process, we sought to challenge convention and examine how the source, amount and site of NPN delivery in the gastrointestinal tract of the ruminant may affect fibre digestibility, rumen stability and N metabolism. In the first study presented here, we used four ruminally cannulated non‐lactating heifers in a Latin square design to infuse 59 g/days of N in the form of ammonia (A) or urea (U) into either the rumen (R) or the abomasum (A). We found that intake was higher (p = .03) for animals receiving supplementary NPN as urea compared with ammonia. In addition, abomasally infused urea (UA) improved fibre fermentation by 9.4% (p = .05) and decreased ruminal pH fluctuations (lower slope in the cumulative pH parameters, p = .04) when compared with the same amount of urea infused ruminally (UR). In a second study, using the same group of heifers, we infused 50 or 150 g/day of urea into the rumen (UR50 and UR150) or 150 g of urea in the abomasum (UA150) or 50 g in the rumen and 100 g in the abomasum (URA150). Fibre digestion was improved by 4% (p = .02) when the same dose of urea was infused into the abomasum compared with the rumen, while estimated microbial protein production and N efficiency were not different between a low rumen dose and high post‐ruminal dose of urea. Collectively, these studies provide insight into the viability of post‐ruminal NPN supplementation as a strategy to improve fibre digestion and NPN inclusion in the ruminant diet.

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“…In our study, although ruminal ammonia concentration increased markedly, ruminal pH decreased as infusion increased. Lower rumen pH can trap ammonia within the rumen, and high rumen ammonia does not produce sublethal or lethal ammonia toxicity [ 23 ]. Rumen ammonia dissociated from NH 4 Cl would be absorbed gradually through ruminal epithelium cell to blood and then excreted into urine.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…NH 4 Cl dissociates into NH 4 + and Cl− ions in the rumen without increasing rumen pH as occurs when urea is hydrolyzed to ammonia [ 22 ]. Kertz et al [ 23 ] found that low rumen pH traps ammonia within the rumen, in which case high rumen ammonia should not produce sublethal or lethal ammonia toxicity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of low dietary cation-anion difference induced by ruminal ammonium chloride infusion on performance, serum, and urine metabolites of lactating dairy cows

Wang

Nan

Zhao

et al. 2018

Asian-Australas J Anim Sci

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ObjectiveThe objective of the present study was to determine ammonium chloride tolerance of lactating dairy cows, by examining effects of negative dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) induced by ruminal ammonium chloride infusion on performance, serum and urine minerals, serum metabolites and enzymes of lactating dairy cows.MethodsFour primiparous lactating Chinese Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas were infused with increasing amounts (0, 150, 300, or 450 g/d) of ammonium chloride in a crossover design. The DCAD of the base diet was 279 mEq/kg dry matter (DM) using the DCAD formula (Na + K – Cl – S)/kg of DM. Ammonium chloride infusion added the equivalent of 0, 128, 330, and 536 mEq/kg DM of Cl in treatments. According to the different dry matter intakes (DMI), the resulting actual DCAD of the four treatments was 279, 151, −51, and −257 mEq/kg DM, respectively.ResultsDMI decreased linearly as DCAD decreased. Yields of milk, 4% fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk, milk fat, and milk protein decreased linearly as DCAD decreased. Concentrations of milk protein and milk urea nitrogen increased linearly with decreasing DCAD. Concentration of Cl− in serum increased linearly and concentration of PO43- in serum increased quadratically as DCAD decreased. Urine pH decreased linearly and calculated urine volume increased linearly with decreasing DCAD. Linear increases in daily urinary excretion of Cl−, Ca2+, PO43−, urea N, and ammonium were observed as DCAD decreased. Activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyl transferase in serum and urea N concentration in serum increased linearly as DCAD decreased.ConclusionIn conclusion, negative DCAD induced by ruminal ammonium chloride infusion resulted in a metabolic acidosis, had a negative influence on performance, and increased serum enzymes indicating potential liver and kidney damage in lactating dairy cows. Daily ammonium chloride intake by lactating dairy cows should not exceed 300 g, and 150 g/d per cow may be better.

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Ruminal Infusion of Ammonium Chloride in Lactating Cows to Determine Effect of pH on Ammonia Trapping

Cited by 16 publications

References 11 publications

Slow-Release Urea as a Sustainable Alternative to Soybean Meal in Ruminant Nutrition

Slow-Release Urea as a Sustainable Alternative to Soybean Meal in Ruminant Nutrition

Post‐ruminal non‐protein nitrogen supplementation as a strategy to improve fibre digestion and N efficiency in the ruminant

Effects of low dietary cation-anion difference induced by ruminal ammonium chloride infusion on performance, serum, and urine metabolites of lactating dairy cows

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