Propionic acid disappearance from the foregut and small intestine of the beef steer

Studies were conducted to determine the disappearance of propionic acid from the rumen and across the small intestine. Four crossbred beef steers, fitted with ruminal, duodenal and ileal cannulas, were given pulsed-continuous infusions of a nonabsorbable liquid phase marker (CrEDTA) and buffered propionic acid to achieve ruminal propionate productions (RPP) of 142 (basal), 567 and 997 mmol/h. Liquid flows from the rumen, and at the duodenum and ileum (2.75, 3.57 and .92 liters/h, respectively) were not affected by RPP (P greater than .23), although significant differences existed between sites (P = .001), reflecting a net addition of liquid between the rumen and duodenum and a net removal of liquid within the small intestine. Propionate disappearance from the rumen was 40 to 57% irrespective of RPP, with the complement passing from the rumen. Of the propionate that exited the rumen, 93 to 97% disappeared prior to entering the duodenum. Overall removal of RPP prior to the duodenum was 97 to 99% irrespective of RPP. Passage of propionic acid at the duodenum and at the ileum did not differ (P greater than .76) across all RPP, and the overall mean passages did not differ from zero (P greater than .34); similar results were observed for other VFA. These observations indicate that essentially all RPP is removed prior to entering the small intestine. Additionally, net propionate disappearance across the small intestine was undetectable and likely biologically irrelevant. Therefore, VFA absorption does not appear to be a limiting biological process in the beef steer.