Effects of isoenergetic infusions of propionate and glucose on portal-drained visceral nutrient flux and concentrations of hormones in lambs maintained by total intragastric infusion.

Three lambs were used in a repeated Latin square design to determine the influence of isoenergetic infusions of propionate or glucose on portal-drained visceral flux (PDV) of nutrients and concentrations of insulin, glucagon, growth hormone and prolactin. Lambs were fitted with appropriate catheters for blood sampling and maintained on total intragastric infusion of nutrients. Basal VFA, casein, mineral and vitamin infusions (isocaloric and isonitrogenous) were supplemented with an additional 22 +/- .5 kcal/h from propionate, glucose or a combination of propionate plus glucose. Ruminal fluid proportion and arterial blood concentration and PDV flux of propionate increased (P less than .10) by 17 mol/100 mol, .02 mM and 40 mmol/h, respectively, with infusion of an additional 61 mmol/h of propionate. Regression equations predicted that, on a net basis, 67% of ruminally infused propionate and 43% of abomasally infused glucose appeared in portal blood. Arterial L-lactate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetate concentrations, and beta-hydroxybutyrate flux were increased (P less than .10) by .34 mM, .20 mM, .50 mM and 4.2 mmol/h, respectively, with infusion of 33 mmol/h of added glucose. Net utilization of glucose by the PDV was approximately 4.4 mmol/h when no glucose was infused. Increased infusion of propionate resulted in a 22.2-micrograms/h increase in PDV flux of insulin (P less than .08) but had no effect on arterial insulin, glucagon and prolactin concentrations (P greater than .10). Arterial growth hormone increased by 3.8 ng/ml with increasing glucose infusion (P less than .08).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)