HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zinn, R. A. Articles by Tucker, R. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Zinn, R. A. Articles by Tucker, R. W.

Apparatus for Measuring and Subsampling Digesta in Ruminants Equipped with Reentrant Intestinal Cannulas^{1 ,2,}

University of Kentucky^5,6,, Lexington 40546

Abstract

A completely automated device for quantitatively measuring and sampling digesta entering the proximal duodenum of cattle is described. The system operates according to volume of flow from intestinal reentry cannulas. Size of subsample, frequency of sampling and rate of digesta return may be varied according to experimental objectives. The apparatus has the following features: (1) digesta temperature control, (2) a rotary sample collector to obtain individual subsamples, and (3) an event recorder to indicate flow cycle time parameters. The system described was constructed for cattle and may be used with animals standing or lying in the special holding crate. The apparatus has logged in excess of 1,900 hr of continuous collection (53 periods of 36 hr each) with only minor malfunction. Repetitive sampling of pooled digesta has produced coefficients of variation for volume, dry matter flow and percentage dry matter in digesta samples of 2.68, 2.81 and 1.81%, respectively. On the basis of incomplete recovery (range 71 to 97%) of chromic oxide from animals during collection periods (24 hr fed vs 24 hr recovery at duodenum), it is suspected that some inhibition to normal flow through the cannula occurs during sampling. Experiments have been conducted in which several parameters of interest were measured and total collection of digesta was compared via spot sampling (500 ml digesta at 6-hr intervals for 48 hr). When corrected to 100% chromic oxide recovery, differences between techniques for estimates of total digesta flow, organic matter and nitrogen entering the duodenum were small and not significant.

¹ This manuscript (79-5-113) is published with the approval of the Director of the Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta.

² Data in this paper are from the dissertation of the senior author, submitted to the Graduate School of the Univ. of Kentucky in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

³ Present address: Anim. Sci. Dept., Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater 74074.

⁴ Present address: Anim. and Vet. Sci. Dept., Univ. of Maine, Orono 04469.

⁵ Anim. Sci. Dept

⁶ The authors are grateful for the helpful suggestions of Dr. Dale R. Waldo, SEA, Beltsville, MD 20705, in the design of this system.