Effect of intraruminal infusion of potassium on the site of magnesium absorption within the digestive tract in sheep

Sixteen 2-year old female sheep were fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulae at Johnstone Memorial Laboratory, Lincoln University during 1989–90. They were offered, at 2 hourly intervals, a pelleted concentrate diet (900 g/day) and chaffed lucerne hay (100 g/day). In a split-plot experiment they were infused, intraruminally and at four rates, with potassium (providing 16, 26, 36 or 46 g K/kg food DM/day) and magnesium (providing 1·3, 1·8, 2·3 or 3·1 g Mg/kg food DM/day) within a Latin square design and with the liquid and solid phase markers ⁵¹chromium EDTA and ¹⁴¹cerium chloride. Net absorption of Mg before and after the duodenum was estimated from dietary intake, duodenal flow and urinary and faecal excretion of Mg. Increasing K intake resulted in a decline in net absorption of Mg from the entire digestive tract, supporting data in the literature. Increasing K intake from 16 to 46 g/kg DM decreased urinary Mg excretion by between 0·14 and 0·30 g/day, the extent of which was independent of the level of Mg intake. At high K intake Mg absorption from the rumen was reduced, the amount absorbed ranging from 0·07 g Mg/day at intakes of 1·3 g Mg/day and 46 g K/kg DM/day to 0·66 g Mg/day at intakes of 3·1 g Mg/day and 16 g K/kg DM/day. However, at high K intake, and when Mg absorption from the rumen was reduced, net Mg absorption from sites distal to the rumen was increased to an extent which suggested compensatory absorption. Increase in K intake was associated with a consistent reduction in plasma Mg concentration which was independent of Mg intake. Increases in Mg intake resulted in increases in Mg absorption and plasma Mg concentration at all rates of K intake in direct proportion to rate of intake. The reduction in Mg absorption from the rumen at high K intake was associated with an increase (0·3 units) in pH of rumen digesta