Uptake and transport of Zn from (65)Zn-labeled ZnSO(4) and Zn proteinate (ZnProt) by ruminal and omasal epithelia were examined by using a parabiotic chamber system. Uptake was measured during a 4-h incubation with 10, 20, or 200 microM Zn as ZnSO(4) or ZnProt in the mucosal buffer (pH 6.0, Krebs-Ringer phosphate). Zinc uptake and transport were also evaluated after simulated ruminal digestion. Buffered ruminal fluid contained a feed substrate and 10 or 200 microM added Zn as ZnSO(4) or ZnProt. In a preliminary experiment, uptake of Zn by omasal tissue was low; thus, the remaining experiments were conducted solely with ruminal epithelium. Incubations to determine the effect of time on Zn uptake from mucosal buffer containing 20 microM added Zn as ZnSO(4) or ZnProt resulted in increased (P < 0.01) Zn uptake as incubation time increased from 30 to 240 min. Zinc uptake was also greater (P = 0.02) from mucosal buffer containing ZnProt compared with ZnSO(4). Zinc uptake from incubations containing 10 or 200 microM was affected by source x concentration (P = 0.05) and concentration x time (P < 0.01) interactions. With 10 microM Zn, uptake was not influenced by Zn source, whereas when 200 microM Zn was added, Zn uptake from ZnProt was greater than from ZnSO(4). Increasing incubation time resulted in increased Zn uptake with 200 microM Zn in the mucosal buffer; however, with 10 microM Zn, uptake did not change after 30 min. After simulated ruminal fermentation, the proportion of Zn in a soluble form was influenced by a source x concentration interaction (P = 0.03). After 18 h of incubation, the proportion of Zn that was soluble was not different between ZnProt and ZnSO(4) in buffered ruminal fluid that contained 10 microM added Zn, but was greater for ZnProt compared with ZnSO(4) with 200 microM Zn in the incubation. Zinc uptake from the aqueous fractions of simulated ruminal digestions containing 200 microM added Zn was greater (P < 0.01) than from those containing 10 microM added Zn. Zinc transport, based on detection of (65)Zn in serosal buffer, did not occur in any of the experiments. The results of the current experiments suggest that absorption of Zn into the bloodstream does not occur from the ruminant foresto-mach; however, Zn uptake occurs in ruminal tissue and is greater from ZnProt than from ZnSO(4).