title: Alteration of nitrogen metabolism by alpha-ketoglutarate administration in growing lambs fed high nonprotein nitrogen-containing diets.
abstract: Two completely randomized design experiments were conducted, using either 10, 38-kg (Exp. 1) or 10, 26-kg (Exp. 2) Hampshire x Western wether lambs, to study the effects of alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) administration on N metabolism. Lambs were fed 890 and 885 g DM/d in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively, of corn-cottonseed hull basal diets with urea added to attain CP levels of 10.6 and 10.5% in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. Experiments consisted of 10 d of adaptation followed by 7 d of infusion and excreta collection. Lambs were infused continuously either i.v. (Exp. 1) or abomasally (Exp. 2) with control solutions (CON) or solutions containing 41.3 g AKG/d (AKG). In Exp. 1, fecal and urinary N excretion and N retention were not affected (P greater than .10) by treatment. Compared to CON in Exp. 2, AKG infusion increased (P less than .10) fecal N output (6.6 vs 5.9 g N/d) but did not affect (P greater than .10) the amount of N retained (4.4 vs 3.5 g N/d). Compared to CON, AKG increased (P less than .10) urinary NH3 N excretion in Exp. 1. Serum urea N was lower (P greater than .10) for AKG than for CON in Exp. 1 but was not affected (P greater than .10) by treatment in Exp. 2. In Exp. 1, AKG appeared to reduce activities of several serum enzymes that function in amino N metabolism. In Exp. 1, compared to CON, AKG decreased (P less than .10) aspartate but increased (P less than .10) asparagine in serum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546-0215.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: van der Veen
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Boling
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Bunting
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; D009584:Nitrogen