The effect of molybdenum on the conversion of sulphate to sulphide and microbial-protein-sulphur in the rumen of sheep.

1. [35S]sulphate was used to measure the apparent turnover of sulphate, sulphide and microbial-protein-S in the rumen contents of four sheep that were intraruminally infused with 10 g sodium sulphate/d alone, or together with 126 mg sodium molybdate (50 mg molybdenum). 2. Infusion of molybdate increased the concentration of sulphate in rumen fluid from 2.2 to 7.2 mug S/ml and decreased the rate of reduction of sulphate to sulphide by 50%. Although the rate of sulphide production was slower, the concentration of sulphide in the rumen is suggested to explain these changes. 3. In animals that were not infused with molybdate, only one-third of the S (3.0 g/d) that passed through the sulphate pool in rumen fluid was converted to sulphide, decreasing to one-sixth when molybdate was infused. 4. The turnover of S amino acids in microbial protein was not significantly affected by molybdate. Only 52-57% of the S amino acid content of microbial protein was synthesized de novo by way of the sulphide pool.