TECHNICAL NOTES Apparatus to Measure Flow and Sample Duodenal Contents in Calves J.-M. G A U D R E A U and G. J. BRISSON Departement de Zootechnie and Centre de Recherches en Nutrition Universite Laval Sainte-Foy, Quebec G1K 7P4
ABSTRACT
sphincter and above the bile duct. The two cannulae situated on the right side of the animal were in a vertical plane and 10 cm apart; the distal cannula must be above the proximal one to allow proper installation of the flowmeter. When the flowmeter was not in use, the two cannulae were connected to each other by a U-tube prepared from Tygon® tubing.
A simple and inexpensive apparatus, requiring minimum labor to operate, was designed to measure flow and sample duodenal contents in young dairy calves. This apparatus simulated normal physiological conditions and was used satisfactorily under varied experimental conditions.
Flowmeter INTRODUCTION
Phenomenons of abomasum emptying in young calves have been the object of recent studies (1 to 5, 7 to 13). In most cases, digesta flow was measured either indirectly by various dilution techniques with suitable markers or directly by collecting the gastric effluents from a proximal duodenal cannula. In the latter case, after proper measurements and sampling, the effluents were reintroduced in the digestive tract through a distal duodenal cannula. This direct measurement of digesta flow is preferable because it is less subject to error but it requires either sophisticated equipment or considerable handling. A simple and inexpensive manual flowmeter, requiring minimum handling, was designed and used to measure directly the flow and to sample duodenal contents in young calves.
A diagram of the flowmeter appears in Fig. 1. The main parts were a four-way stopcock and two graduated 200-ml PVC (polyvinyl chloride) bottles connected with ordinary 2-cm polyethylene plumbing fittings. The four parts of the four-way stopcock were lathed from Plexiglass® rods and sheets (Fig. 2). The fourway stopcock was fixed to two wooden spacers 3 cm high × 2 cm wide x 9 cm long by the four screws appearing in Fig. 1 and 2. These spacers were necessary to give sufficient room for the
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Air pipe
1 t0onnecti0n distal cannula
! -~
Ii
~
-
Animals
Calves were fitted with a re-entrant duodenal fistula at 1 wk of age. The surgical procedure was the same as that described by Markowitz and co-workers (6) using T-shaped cannulae prepared from medical-grade Silastic® tubing 9.5 mm ID. The cannulae were inserted in the proximal duodenum below the pyloric
", 0 " \ ~ £ 2 ~
Four.way~ J' \ stopcock Samphn0 exit
~
:
¢
[ i~ ~
"~--Connection
~10cm
Received January 30, 1978. 1978 J Dairy Sci 61:1257-1260
FIG. 1. Diagram of the flowmeter, 1257
to proximal
cangula
1258
GAUDREAU
,: -~
N
:
N :c
@
L
"J
),
'-""
:O
AND
BRISSON
A.Front plate
B. Plug
ABSTRACT
sphincter and above the bile duct. The two cannulae situated on the right side of the animal were in a vertical plane and 10 cm apart; the distal cannula must be above the proximal one to allow proper installation of the flowmeter. When the flowmeter was not in use, the two cannulae were connected to each other by a U-tube prepared from Tygon® tubing.
A simple and inexpensive apparatus, requiring minimum labor to operate, was designed to measure flow and sample duodenal contents in young dairy calves. This apparatus simulated normal physiological conditions and was used satisfactorily under varied experimental conditions.
Flowmeter INTRODUCTION
Phenomenons of abomasum emptying in young calves have been the object of recent studies (1 to 5, 7 to 13). In most cases, digesta flow was measured either indirectly by various dilution techniques with suitable markers or directly by collecting the gastric effluents from a proximal duodenal cannula. In the latter case, after proper measurements and sampling, the effluents were reintroduced in the digestive tract through a distal duodenal cannula. This direct measurement of digesta flow is preferable because it is less subject to error but it requires either sophisticated equipment or considerable handling. A simple and inexpensive manual flowmeter, requiring minimum handling, was designed and used to measure directly the flow and to sample duodenal contents in young calves.
A diagram of the flowmeter appears in Fig. 1. The main parts were a four-way stopcock and two graduated 200-ml PVC (polyvinyl chloride) bottles connected with ordinary 2-cm polyethylene plumbing fittings. The four parts of the four-way stopcock were lathed from Plexiglass® rods and sheets (Fig. 2). The fourway stopcock was fixed to two wooden spacers 3 cm high × 2 cm wide x 9 cm long by the four screws appearing in Fig. 1 and 2. These spacers were necessary to give sufficient room for the
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Air pipe
1 t0onnecti0n distal cannula
! -~
Ii
~
-
Animals
Calves were fitted with a re-entrant duodenal fistula at 1 wk of age. The surgical procedure was the same as that described by Markowitz and co-workers (6) using T-shaped cannulae prepared from medical-grade Silastic® tubing 9.5 mm ID. The cannulae were inserted in the proximal duodenum below the pyloric
", 0 " \ ~ £ 2 ~
Four.way~ J' \ stopcock Samphn0 exit
~
:
¢
[ i~ ~
"~--Connection
~10cm
Received January 30, 1978. 1978 J Dairy Sci 61:1257-1260
FIG. 1. Diagram of the flowmeter, 1257
to proximal
cangula
1258
GAUDREAU
,: -~
N
:
N :c
@
L
"J
),
'-""
:O
AND
BRISSON
A.Front plate
B. Plug
