Acetate, an important metabolite in most species, has a unique place in ruminant metabolism. As the major product of ruminal and caecal fermentation, acetate provides much of the energy requirements of ruminant tissues. Little information is available, however, on the overall utilization of acetate in sheep. Intravenous-acetate tolerance tests in sheep (Jarrett, Potter & Filsell, 1952; Pugh & S...