Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T05:43:02.740Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of condensed tannins in Lotus corniculatus upon the digestion of methionine and cysteine in the small intestine of sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Y. Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
G. C. Waghorn
Affiliation:
AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand
W. C. McNabb
Affiliation:
AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand
T. N. Barry
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
M. J. Hedley
Affiliation:
Department of Soil Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
I. D. Shelton
Affiliation:
AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Summary

An experiment was conducted at Palmerston North, New Zealand, to determine the effect of condensed tannins (CT) on the true and apparent digestion of methionine and cysteine in the small intestine (SI) of sheep fed fresh Lotus comkulatus. The lotus contained c. 30 g total CT/kg dry matter (DM) and was fed hourly to sheep in metabolism crates. Four sheep were prepared with rumen and abomasal cannulae which enabled the indigestible liquid phase marker, chromium ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (Cr-EDTA), to be infused into the rumen to estimate digesta flow. True digestibility of plant methionine and cysteine in the SI and their site of absorption in the SI were determined from 35S-labelled L. corniculatus homogenate continuously infused into the abomasum. After 9 h infusion of the 35S-labelled lotus homogenate, the sheep were slaughtered and digesta samples were taken at intervals along the small and large intestines. The effect of CT was determined by comparing two control sheep (CT-acting) with two sheep given a continuous intraruminal infusion of polyethylene glycol (PEG, MW 3500) to bind and inactivate the CT.

The CT reduced the true digestibility of plant methionine (0·72 v. 0·88) and cysteine (0·65 v. 0·81) in the SI relative to sheep receiving PEG. Condensed tannins also appeared to alter the site of digestion of both [35S]methionine and [35S]cysteine in the SI, and increased the flux of both amino acids in the mid and latter thirds of the SI. CT did not affect the apparent digestibility of total methionine (0·82 v. 0·84) in the SI but reduced the apparent digestibility of total cysteine from 0·77 to 0·66. In control sheep CT increased the abomasal flux (as a proportion of eaten) of total digesta methionine (0·88 v. 0·76) and total digesta cysteine (0·74 v. 0·62). The apparent absorption of total methionine (plant + microbial + endogenous) was increased by the action of CT (0·72 v. 0·63 g/g eaten) but was similar for total cysteine (0·49 v. 0·48 g/g eaten) in both groups. It was concluded that CT reduced the true digestibility of plant methionine and cysteine in the SI. However, it was calculated that the action of CT actually increased the total amounts (g/g eaten) of plant methionine and cysteine absorbed from the SI, due to its effect in increasing abomasal flux.

Type
Animals
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahmed, A. E., Smithard, R. & Ellis, M. (1991). Activities of enzymes of the pancreas, and the lumen and mucosa of the small intestine in growing broiler cockerels fed on tannin-containing diets. British Journal of Nutrition 65, 189197.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bailey, R. W. (1967). Quantitative studies of ruminant digestion. II. Loss of ingested plant carbohydrates from the reticulo-rumen. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 10, 1532.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barry, T. N. (1989). Condensed tannins: their role in ruminant protein and carbohydrate digestion and possible effects upon the rumen ecology. In The Role of Protozoa and Fungi in Ruminant Digestion (Eds Nolan, J. V., Leng, R. A. & Demeyer, D. I.), pp. 153169. Armidale, Australia: Penambul Books.Google Scholar
Ben-Ghedalia, D., Tagari, H., Bondi, A. & Tadmor, A. (1974). Protein digestion in the intestine of sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 31, 125142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foo, L. Y., Jones, W.T., Porter, L. J. & Williams, V. M. (1982). Proanthocyanidin polymers of fodder legumes. Phytochemistry 21, 933935.Google Scholar
Horigome, T., Kumar, R. & Okamoto, K. (1988). Effects of condensed tannins prepared from leaves of fodder plants on digestive enzymes in vitro and in the intestine of rats. British Journal of Nutrition 60, 275285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, W. T. & Mangan, J. L. (1977). Complexes of the condensed tannins of sainfoin (Onobrycyhis viciifolia Scop.) with Fraction 1 leaf protein and with submaxillary mucoprotein, and their reversal by polyethylene glycol and pH. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 28, 126136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, J. (1981). Technical Report No 3. Palmerston North New Zealand: Applied Biochemistry Division, DSIR.Google Scholar
Longstaff, M. A. & McNab, J. M. (1991 a). The inhibitory effects of hull polysaccharides and tannins of field beans (Vicia faba L.) on the digestion of amino acids, starch and lipid and on digestive enzyme activities in young chicks. British Journal of Nutrition 65, 199216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Longstaff, M. A. & McNab, J. M. (1991 b). The effect of concentration of tannin-rich bean hulls (Viciafaba L.) on activities of lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) and α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) in digesta and pancreas and on the digestion of lipid and starch by young chicks. British Journal of Nutrition 66, 139147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDougall, E. I. (1948). Studies on ruminant saliva. 1. The composition of output of sheep's saliva. Biochemistry Journal 4, 99109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McNabb, W. C., Waghorn, G. C., Barry, T. N. & Shelton, I. D. (1993). The effect of condensed tannins in Lotus pedunculatus on the digestion and metabolism of methionine, cystine and inorganic sulphur in sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 70, 647661.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McNabb, W. C., Waghorn, G. C., Peters, J. S. & Barry, T. N. (1996). The effect of condensed tannins in Lotus pedunculatus upon the solubility and degradation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) protein in the rumen and the sites of Rubisco digestion. British Journal of Nutrition 76, 535549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Middleton, K. R.Toxopeus, M. R. J. (1973). Diagnosis and measurement of multiple soil deficiencies by a subtractive technique. Plant and Soil 38, 219226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nolan, J. V. & MacRae, J. C. (1976). Absorption and recycling of nitrogenous compounds in the digestive tract of sheep. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 35, 110A.Google ScholarPubMed
Terrill, T. H., Rowan, A. M., Douglas, G. B. & Barry, T. N. (1992). Determination of extractable and bound condensed tannin concentrations in forage plants, protein concentrate meals and cereal grains. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 58, 321329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terrill, T. H., Waghorn, G. C.Cwoolley, D. J., McNabb, W. C. & Barry, T. N. (1994). Assay and digestion of 14C-labelled condensed tannins in the gastrointestinal tract of sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 72, 467477.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Soest, P. J. (1983). Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant. Corvallis, Oregon: O & B Books.Google Scholar
Waghorn, G. C., Ulyatt, M. J., John, A. & Fisher, M. T. (1987). The effect of condensed tannins on the site of digestion of amino acids and other nutrients in sheep fed on Lotus corniculatus L. British Journal of Nutrition 57, 115126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Waghorn, G. C., Shelton, I. D., McNabb, W. C. & McCutcheon, S. N. (1994). Effects of condensed tannins in Lotus pedunculatus on its nutritive value for sheep. 2. Nitrogenous aspects. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 123, 109119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y., Waghorn, G. C., Barry, T. N. & Shelton, I. D. (1994). The effect of condensed tannins in Lotus corniculatus upon plasma metabolism of methionine, cystine and inorganic sulphate by sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 72, 923935.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, Y., Douglas, G. B., Waghorn, G. C., Barry, T. N. & Foote, A. G. (1996 a). Effect of condensed tannins in Lotus corniculatus upon lactation performance in ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 126, 353362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y., Douglas, G. B., Waghorn, G. C., Barry, T. N., Foote, A. G. & Purchas, R. W. (1996 b). Effect of condensed tannins upon the performance of lambs grazing Lotus corniculatus and lucerne (Medicago saliva). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 126, 8798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yuste, P., Longstaff, M. & McCorquodale, C. (1992). The effect of proanthocyanidin-rich hulls and proanthocyanidin extracts from bean (Vicia faba L.) hulls on nutrient digestibility and digestive enzyme activities in young chicks. British Journal of Nutrition 67, 5765.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed