EFFECT OF DIETARY-PROTEIN AND UREA ON IN-VITRO CECAL AMMONIA PRODUCTION FROM UREA AND URIC-ACID IN COCKERELS

1. Single Comb White Leghorn adult cockerels were fed on 50 g/kg prote in diet, 200 g/kg protein diet or 50 g/kg protein diet plus urea and i n vitro ammoniagenesis from urea and uric acid in the caeca was determ ined. 2. Four-fold protein intake caused about 4.6-fold increase in ca ecal ammonia production from urea (P < 0-05), and tended to increase i t from uric acid as compared with 50 g/kg protein-fed birds. 3. Dietar y urea significantly increased caecal ammonia production from urea and uric acid by about 2 and 3 times as much as those of control birds, r espectively (P< 0-05). 4. It is concluded that increased protein intak e and the feeding of urea are able to induce ammoniagenesis from urea and uric acid in the caeca of fowls.