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In Vivo Metabolism of Biuret and Urea by Sheep^1,2,

University of Illinois, Urbana⁵

Abstract

A series of eight experiments was conducted to study the metabolism of biuret and urea in sheep. Biuret^–14C was administered to the sheep by either intravenous or intraruminal injection. Urea^–14C or sodium bicarbonate^–14C was administered intraruminally. Ninety-five percent of the ¹⁴C of intravenously-injected biuret^–14C was recovered in urine. Expired ¹⁴CO₂ collected over an 8 hr. period contained 1.4% of the ¹⁴C. Approximately 2.5% of the ¹⁴C was present in the rumen 8 hr. after injection. The data indicated that biuret was not utilized directly by animal tissues.

The maximum recovery of ¹⁴C in expired ¹⁴CO₂ from intraruminally-injected biuret^–14C or urea^–14C was 28.5 and 25.1%, respectively, for periods up to 7 hr. Negligible amounts of ¹⁴C were recovered in feces. Urine did not contain more than 3% of the ¹⁴C from biuret^–14C or urea^–14C. Less than 50% of the ¹⁴C injected intraruminally as biuret^–14C or urea^–14C was accounted for in all samples measured, including estimates of the activity in the rumen and in blood plasma. In contrast, nearly 100% of the ¹⁴C of sodium bicarbonate^–14C was recovered in expired CO₂ within 6 hr. Results suggested that the carbon of biuret and urea did not equilibrate with the CO₂ pool. Failure to achieve equilibration suggested that biuret and urea were metabolized in the rumen without complete hydrolysis to CO₂ and NH₃.

¹ Data taken from thesis submitted by the senior author to the Graduate College, University of Illinois, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

² Supported in part by federal funds (Hatch 20–386) and by grant-in-aid from Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan.

³ Present address: Animal Science Department, University of Idaho, Moscow.

⁴ Professor of Nutrition, Dairy Science Department.

⁵ Animal Science Department.

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