Effect of intraruminal osmolality changes arising from administration of sodium chloride on transfer of blood urea to rumen in sheep

A. Yusof Hamali, J. V. Nolan and J. Kent

Abstract

A single injection of 15 g NaCl into the rumen, which increased the osmotic pressure of rumen fluid from 369 to 474 mOsmol/kg, resulted in a decrease in the transfer of blood urea into rumen fluid from 2.3 to 1.6 g N/day in sheep fed 50 g of chaffed oaten hay every hour. It is concluded that the reduced urea transfer was the result of a reduced urea input via saliva. The rumen wall remained virtually impermeable to urea throughout the study.

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