Observations on the rate of flow of digesta through the duodenum of sheep and on the recovery of polyethylene glycol and chromium sesquioxide from duodenal contents.

Abstract

To each of two Texel sheep with re-entrant cannulae in the distal part of the duodenum were given daily in two equal feeds either 100 g straw pellets and 390 g of a concentrate mixture or 1000g hay and 120 g maizemeal. Polyethylene glycol 10 g and Cr₂O₃ 2 or l.94g were mixed with the concentrates for 6 days before each collection period and throughout the 72 or 120h of collection. Water was given to appetite. The material which flowed out of the proximal cannula was collected, measured and sampled and returned to the gut at 40 degrees C. The mean flow rate of duodenal contents over all experiments with both sheep was about 14 to 20 litres per day but there were appreciable between-day and between-sheep variations. The highest flow rate was before and during feeding in one sheep. In both the rate tended to increase during the night.

Overall recovery of both markers used was almost100% with the sampling technique used. A random sampling technique which was one of the two systems used and involved the withdrawal of 7 ml digesta every 4 h for 120 h yielded a representative sample of the soluble components, but was less suitable for the insoluble components, though modification could improve it. In this way it should be possible to use a simple cannula in place of re-entrant cannulae. J. G. G. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)