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Stable carbon isotope analysis of faecal and blood samples of sheep in relation to the diet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

A. Balcaen ,
E. Claeys ,
V. Fievez ,
P. Boeckx ,
O. van Cleemput  and
S. de Smet
A. Balcaen
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Department of Animal Production, Proefhoevestraat 10, B-9090 Melle, Belgium
E. Claeys
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Department of Animal Production, Proefhoevestraat 10, B-9090 Melle, Belgium
V. Fievez
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Department of Animal Production, Proefhoevestraat 10, B-9090 Melle, Belgium
P. Boeckx
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry - ISOFYS, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
O. van Cleemput
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry - ISOFYS, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
S. de Smet*
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Department of Animal Production, Proefhoevestraat 10, B-9090 Melle, Belgium
*
Email: stefaan.desmet@rug.ac.be
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Extract

Stable isotopes have been extraordinarily helpful in understanding animal migration, diet, food webs and nutrient flow (Hilderbrand et al., 1996), based on the property that C3 and C4 plants possess distinctly different 13C/12C ratios (δ13C value) due to isotopic fractionation during photosynthetic carbon fixation (Smith & Epstein, 1971). Most woody species and temperate graminoids assimilate carbon via the Calvin cycle (C3), which discriminates stronger against the heavier isotope (13C) than Hatch-Slack (C4) species (tropical and subtropical graminoids and some shrubs). C3 and C4 plant species have mean δ13C values of -27 ‰ and -13 ‰ respectively (O’Leary, 1981). DeNiro & Epstein (1978) were one of the first to show that the isotopic composition of the whole animal body is similar to that of its diet. Other authors have also found relationships between the isotopic composition of animal tissues and the diet (González-Martin et al., 1999; Jones et al., 1979). The aim of this study was to investigate stable carbon isotope composition in sheep fed diets consisting of either C3 or C3+C4 plants.

Type
Feed Characterisation
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2003 , 2003 , pp. 159
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2003

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References

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