SULPHUR METABOLISM OF SHEEP .4. EFFECT OF A VARIED DIETARY SULPHUR CONTENT ON SOME BODY FLUID SULPHATE LEVELS AND ON UTILIZATION OF UREA-SUPPLEMENTED ROUGHAGE BY SHEEP

A diet composed of oaten hulls, urea, and mineral mixture was shown to be deficient in sulphur with respect to the nutrition of sheep. Sulphate supplements to the diet increased both crude fibre digestion and nitrogen and sulphur retention. They also increased the concentration of inorganic sulphate in the blood and the levels of total sulphur and total sulphate sulphur in the parotid saliva, but decreased blood urea nitrogen levels and the concentration of residual nitrogen and residual sulphur (protein fraction) in the parotid saliva. The effect of these concentration changes is discussed with particular reference to the feeding of sheep on low sulphur, low nitrogen forages. © 1969 CSIRO. All rights reserved.