[Effect of different doses of D, L-methionine on biochemical indices in the blood, rumen contents and urine].

Experimental studies were carried out with lambs to study the effect of gradually increasing amounts of the D,L-methionine, applied directly into the rumen, on the general state, the amount of free amino acids, and some biochemical indices characterizing the nitrogen metabolism and the rumen processes. It was found that doses of 0.10 and 0.13 g/kg body mass had a favourable effect on the appetite and the general state as well as on the indices studied, particularly on Hb, blood sugar, amino acid index and urea of the blood serum, and ammonia gas, volatile fatty acids, and total count of infusoria in the rumen content. At rates of 0.66 and 0.83 g/kg body mass there was loss of appetite and dullness, and at 1.0 and 1.16 g/kg along with the full loss of appetite there were trembling, difficult breathing, clonal and tonal spasms of skeletal muscles. On the sixth day following treatment there were deaths only with those of the animals that were given methionine at 1.16 g/kg body mass. It was also found that total sulfur in the blood serum increased parallel to the rising amounts of methionine, chiefly to the detriment of free inorganic sulfur. The addition of excessive amounts of methionine led to the sharp drop of the essential amino acids and rise of the free methionine in the blood serum of the test animals.