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Intestinal amino acid absorption in lambs fed fresh Lucerne (Medicago sativa) during an established Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2008

E. N. Bermingham ,
N. C. Roy ,
I. A. Sutherland ,
G. C. Waghorn ,
B. R. Sinclair ,
J. S. Peters  and
W. C. McNabb
E. N. Bermingham*
Affiliation:
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
N. C. Roy
Affiliation:
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
I. A. Sutherland
Affiliation:
Animal Health, AgResearch Hopkirk Research Institute, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
G. C. Waghorn
Affiliation:
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
B. R. Sinclair
Affiliation:
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
J. S. Peters
Affiliation:
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
W. C. McNabb
Affiliation:
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
*
E-mail: emma.bermingham@agresearch.co.nz
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Abstract

The effects of an established Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection on amino acid (AA) absorption from the small intestine and their availability to other tissues were determined in lambs 48 days post infection. The lambs were fed fresh Lucerne (Medicago sativa; ∼800 g dry matter (DM)/day) and dosed with 6000 L3 T. colubriformis larvae for 6 days (n = 5) or kept as parasite free controls (n = 6). Faecal egg production was monitored every second day from day 22 to day 48. A nitrogen (N) balance was conducted on days 35 to 43 after infection, and digesta flow and AA concentration measurements were made on day 44. On day 48 after infection, blood was continuously collected from the mesenteric artery and vein, plasma harvested and AA concentrations measured. Faecal egg production peaked on the 26th day after infection (P < 0.001) and intestinal worm burdens on day 48 were greater (P < 0.001) in the infected lambs. Feed intake and liveweight gain were similar (P > 0.10) between control and infected lambs. Digestibility and flow of DM and N through the digestive tract were also unaffected (P > 0.10) by parasite infection. Despite a trend towards higher abomasal AA flux in the parasitised lambs (P < 0.10), apparent AA absorption from the small intestine and AA availability to other tissues were unaffected (P > 0.10) by infection. These results suggest that an established parasite infection had little effect on the intestinal absorption and availability of AA to other tissues in lambs fed fresh Lucerne.

Keywords

amino aciddigestibilityintestinal absorptionlambsparasitic infection
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 2 , Issue 7 , July 2008 , pp. 1037 - 1044
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

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