Effects of feed intake on particle distribution, passage of digesta, and extent of digestion in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle

Four nonlactating Holstein dairy cows (means +/- SD BW = 692 +/- 49 kg) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment to determine changes in distribution of particles within the ruminoreticulum (RR) and total digestive tract in cattle fed a forage-based diet at four intake levels. Relationships between chewing activities and rates of particle breakdown, passage, and digestion were also determined. Percentage of large particles increased linearly in the dorsal rumen (P = .001), ventral rumen (P = .004), reticulum (P = .007), duodenum (P = .007), and feces (P = .006) as DMI increased. Particles of sizes less than or equal to 2,000 microns, eligible to pass from the RR, constituted 60 to 92% of particle DM in the RR. Increased feed intake resulted in a longer (P = .003) eating but a shorter (P = .008) ruminating time per kilogram of DM intake, whereas total chewing time per kilogram of DMI was not affected (P = .12). Passage rate constants of NDF from the RR increased (P = .03) with intake. There was no change (P = .87) in the rate constant for particle breakdown in the dorsal rumen with increased intake. Neither fractional passage rate of NDF nor the rate constant for particle breakdown was related to time spent eating (P + .12; P = .34) or time spent ruminating (P = .11; P = .55). It was concluded that rate of passage of small particles from the RR was a determinant of passage from the RR and that changes in rates of passage and breakdown of particles could only be partially explained by changes in chewing activities.     

Passage rate of digesta through the equine gastrointestinal tract: A review

Passage rate through the equine gastrointestinal tract is best described by mean retention time (MRT). Transit times of digesta differ greatly between the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Passage through the stomach and small intestine is rapid (5 h on average), whereas a longer retention time is recorded in the cecum and colon (35 h on average).Important considerations in estimating MRT have been the use of a solute phase and a fluid phase marker and calculations applied, especially when sampling frequency is reduced.A number of animal and feed related factors influence MRT: body weight, pregnancy and lactation may increase passage rate, whereas the impact of exercise, the most important animal related factor, will depend on the exercise type and the fluid/particle ratio.Information on the effect of the main feed related factors is lacking. Smaller particles and feed with a higher water-holding capacity move slower through the gut, but reduced fibre length, increased feeding level and increased forage/concentrate ratio will accelerate passage rate. Feeding frequency seems not to affect passage rate.Sometimes, conclusions are contradictory as effect of animals, feeds and methods are confusing.     

Equilibration and passage of water in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle in relation to estimating body water by compartmental kinetic models

The volume of water in the rumen of four steers was increased (P less than .01) 47% when the level of ground cobs in the diet fed to the steers was changed from 10% to 50%. The difference in gut water content due to diet was not accurately (P greater than .10) estimated by deuterium oxide dilution using either one-, two- or three-compartmental models. Gut water was overestimated and empty body water underestimated when calculated by two-compartment models. The proportions of total body water within each compartment of a three-compartment model were quite variable among steers. When the two-compartment model was solved on the basis of measurements taken from either compartment, different compartment volumes were obtained. This indicated that the two-compartment model did not accurately describe the water equilibration process. Water in the contents of the proximal duodenum and terminal ileum equilibrated with blood in 30 min (range, 10 to 75 min), fecal water equilibrated in 4.3 h (range, 1.7 to 6.7 h) and water in rumen contents equilibrated in 8.3 h (range, 3.8 to 12.5 h). Diet did not affect (P greater than .10) equilibration time or the mean retention time of water in the gastrointestinal tract. Mean retention time was much longer than equilibration time; thus, the equilibration of water in the gastrointestinal tract contents was primarily dependent upon movement of water across the gut mucosa and not upon the flow of water through the gut. One-third of the water in the contents of the gastrointestinal tract was located outside the rumen. Compartmental modeling based only upon D2O disappearance from blood did not enable either gut water or rumen water to be accurately estimated.     

Immunocytochemical distribution of endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of the horse

Endocrine cells immunoreactive for somatostatin, gastrin, glicentin, glucagon, secretin, cholecystokinin, motilin and neurotensin were identified immunocytochemically in the gastrointestinal mucosa of the horse. Somatostatin-, glicentin- and glucagon-immunoreactive cells were very numerous in the cardiac and fundic regions of the stomach, whereas most gastrin-immunoreactive cells were confined to the pyloric region. Somatostatin-immunoreactive cells also were detected in all portions of the small intestine while gastrin-immunoreactive cells were confined exclusively to the upper portion and glicentin-immunoreactive cells were limited to the lower portions of the small intestine. Secretin-, cholecystokinin- and motilin-immunoreactive cells were observed only in the duodenum, while neurotensin-immunoreactive cells were confined primarily to the ileum. In the large intestine, somatostatin- and glicentin-immunoreactive cells were detected in the colon and rectum. The preferential location of endocrine cells provides additional information for future studies on the physiological roles of gastrointestinal peptides in the gastrointestinal tract of the horse.     

Markers for estimating digesta flow in pigs and the effects of dietary fiber

Effects of diluting the energy content of a corn-soybean meal diet with either alfalfa meal or corn cobs on nutrient digestibility and rate of passage of feed residues and particle markers were measured in crossbred (Yorkshire X Landrace X Chester White X Large White) barrows with a mean body weight of about 80 kg. The excretion pattern in the feces of Cr-mordanted diet and of rare earths initially bound individually to the mixed diet or to the corn or soybean meal suggested a model having a single age-dependent compartment with time delay. The compartmental turnover rate parameter (lambda 1) estimated by this model did not differ for the rare earths individually used to mark the corn-soybean meal diet (Yb), the corn (La) or the soybean meal (Sm). In contrast, lambda 1 for Cr was smaller (P less than .001) than that of the mean for the three rare earths. The residence time due to displacement flow (tau) did not differ among markers. These results were interpreted to indicate that the high specific gravity of Cr-mordanted feed slowed flow due to mixing but not due to displacement. Correlations between lambda 1 and tau were less than .71. These results suggested that the flow of rare earths initially bound to feed ingredients provides a reasonable estimate of the flow of their undigested residues through the gastrointestinal tracts of nonruminant animals. Inclusion of the fibrous feeds reduced digestibility of dry matter, cell contents, crude protein and acid detergent lignin and increased digestibility of cell walls, cellulose and acid detergent fiber. Digestibilities of cellulose and acid detergent fiber were greater with alfalfa than with corn cobs as the fiber source. Differences in digestibility of crude protein and acid detergent fiber existed due to litter in one replicate of the experiment. Variation in digestibility was not significantly related to variation in lambda 1 or tau within or among treatments and litters. This suggests that variations in lambda 1 and tau were not important causes of the observed variation in digestibility.     

Effect of water-filled bags in the rumen of wethers on ruminal digesta kinetics and total tract nutrient digestibility

Four ruminal cannulated wethers (65 +/- 2.4 kg) were used in a Latin square design experiment to determine the effects of water-filled bags on ruminal liquid and particulate dilution rates. Treatments consisted of ratios of water volume (liters) in bags to pretrial ruminal volume (liters) and were A) 0, B) .22, C) .44, and D) .66. Diet DM, consisting of 75% concentrate and 25% chopped alfalfa hay, was offered once daily at 2.3% of each wether's pretrial live weight. The largest water-filled bag decreased ruminal liquid volume by 68%, increased ruminal liquid dilution rate by 64%, and increased ruminal pool size of non-water soluble concentrate (NWSC) by 137% compared with the control. Ruminal dilution rate of ytterbium-marked NWSC decreased by 37% compared with the control. Ruminal fluid concentrations of NH3 N, pH, and molar ratios of acetate, propionate, butyrate, and isovalerate and plasma urea nitrogen varied over time postfeeding depending on water-filled bag size. Total tract apparent digestibility of DM, OM, ADF, starch, and energy were decreased (P less than .05) with increasing water-filled bag size in the rumen. In this study, water-filled bags acted to increase ruminal liquid dilution rate and decrease ruminal liquid volume and total tract nutrient digestibility but to retard passage of NWSC and hay fiber.     

The disposition of pyrantel in the gastrointestinal tract and effect of digesta flow rate on the kinetic behaviour of pyrantel in the pig

Pigs consuming a diet with slow digesta transit time were orally administered with molar equivalent doses of pyrantel as the citrate and pamoate salt. At appropriate intervals pigs were killed and the quantitative-time distribution of pyrantel throughout the gut contents was determined. Compared with the citrate, there appeared to be greater quantities of the less soluble pamoate salt in the small and large intestine. An additional group of pigs fed on diets with "slow" or "fast" digesta transit time were orally treated with molar equivalent amounts of pyrantel as the citrate and pamoate salt and the respective kinetic disposition of pyrantel in peripheral plasma and quantitative excretion in faeces was determined. The diet type had little effect on pyrantel availability after administration of the less soluble pamoate salt. However, the maximum concentration of pyrantel in plasma was lower and there appeared to be greater quantities of pyrantel retained in the gut and excreted in faeces when the citrate salt was orally administered to pigs fed the "fast" compared to the "slow" diet. Since it is the quantity of pyrantel contained in the gut lumen which is believed to affect efficacy against gastrointestinal parasites, greater efficacy with this anthelmintic should be obtained when pigs are consuming a high fibre diet.     

Effects of dietary water holding capacity and level of fermentable organic matter on digesta passage in various parts of the digestive tract in growing pigs

The effect diet composition on digesta passage over three sections of the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) was studied in growing pigs. A control diet (C diet) and three diets differing in the contents of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and water holding capacity (WHC) were fed.

Results showed a mean transit time (MTT) over the whole GIT over all diets of 75 h. NSP significantly (P < 0.05) decreased MTT over the total GIT and through the large intestine. In contrast, NSP tended to increase the MTT of the stomach contents (P < 0.10). The effects of WHC were limited to tendencies for a decrease of the MTT in the large intestine (P < 0.10) and an increase of the MTT in the small intestine (P < 0.10).     

Immunohistochemical identification and localization of orexin A and orexin type 2 receptor in the horse gastrointestinal tract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence and the distribution of cells containing orexin A and orexin type 2 receptor in the horse stomach and gut, by means of immunohistochemical techniques.Orexin A was identified in the stomach fundic and pyloric regions and in the duodenum. In the same stomach regions, a large subset of orexin A-positive cells also showed orexin type 2 receptor-like immunoreactivity. Moreover, in the duodenum, many of them, seemed to store serotonin.Characteristically, enteric neurons or ganglia also displayed orexin A and, sometimes, orexin type 2 receptor immunoreaction.Orexin A and orexin type 2 receptor immunoreactivity was also found in the nerve fibers in the enteric submucosal layer.Our results, together with data present in the literature, could contribute to the understanding of complex mechanisms regulating the horse gut functionality that are depending very likely on the consequence of the co-operation of both a central and a peripheral control.     

Relationships between chewing behavior, digestibility, and digesta passage kinetics in steers fed oat hay at restricted and ad libitum intakes

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between chewing behavior, digestibility, and digesta passage kinetics in steers fed oat hay at restricted and ad libitum intakes. Four Hereford steers, with an initial average BW of 136 kg, were used in an experiment conducted as a balanced 4 × 4 Latin square with 4 treatments (levels of intake) and 4 periods. Animals were fed lopsided oat hay (Avena strigosa Schreb.) at 4 levels of intake (as a percentage of BW): 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and ad libitum. Digestibility, chewing behavior, and digesta passage kinetic measurements were recorded during the experimental period. Chewing rates during eating and ruminating [(chews?min(-1))/g of DMI?kg(-1) of BW?d(-1)] decreased (P = 0.018 and P = 0.032, respectively) with increased DMI (g?kg(-1) of BW?d(-1)), whereas total chewing and total time spent on each chewing activity increased. Calculated total energy expended by the chewing activity was 4.2, 4.4, 5.2, and 5.3% of ME intake for DMI of 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% of BW and ad libitum, respectively, indicating that adjustments in animal chewing behavior may be a mechanism of reducing energy expenditure when forages are fed at restricted intake. Hay digestibility decreased (P < 0.001) with increased DMI (r = -0.865). Digesta mean retention time (h) was strongly correlated with DMI (r = -0.868) and OM digestibility (r = 0.844). At reduced intake, hay digestibility was enhanced (P < 0.001) by extending digesta retention time and by increasing chewing efficiency, highlighting the relationship between chewing behavior and the digestive process. Fractional outflow rate of particulate matter from the reticulorumen (k(1)) was positively correlated with total chews, emphasizing that the decrease in particle size caused by chewing facilitates particle flow through the digestive tract. Increased hay intake also increased (P < 0.001) k(1), whereas passage rate of the liquid phase, transit time, and rumen fill were not affected (P > 0.05). The latter was correlated with rumen volume (r = 0.803). In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that animals fed at restricted intake increased chewing rate when eating and ruminating, which, along with a longer digesta retention time, contributed to enhance feed digestibility.     

Comparison of models estimating digesta kinetics and fecal output in cattle from fecal concentrations of single-dosed markers of particles and solutes.

Fecal concentrations of chromium and cobalt, following a single labeling dose of Cr-mordanted fiber and Co-EDTA to the rumen, were obtained from two experiments: one with beef cows fed two diets before and after parturition, and one with growing bull calves fed two diets of high and low fill volume. These data were used to compare three optional models that estimated the whole digestive tract kinetics of particles and solutes and fecal output, with a fourth model that estimated particle kinetics only. The first model (M1) assumes separate routes for particles and solutes, with two bypass fluxes (i.e., simultaneous fluxes from one pool to more than one other pool) in the particle route and one in the solute route. The second model (M2) is similar to M1, but allowance is made for some of the particles to pass to the solute route. The third model (M3) assumes that most of the kinetic variables in the solute route are identical to the correspondent variables in the particle route. The fourth model (M4) assumes an unspecified number of sequential compartments with constant increase of the outflow rate from each compartment to the next one, without allowance for any bypass fluxes. All the models could fit all the data sets. Goodness of fit was the best with M2 and the worst with M3. Goodness of fit of the particle curve with M2 was comparable to that of M4. Model M1 estimated the shortest and M3 estimated the longest total retention time (TRT) for particles (72.8, 85.0, and 91.2 h for M1, M2, and M3, respectively), and the partition of retention time between the different pools differed among models. There were no significant differences among models in their estimates of solute TRT (30.2, 31.5, and 30.8 h for M1, M2, and M3, respectively). Fecal output estimations were similar among models, all of them overestimating the predetermined measurements by 9.5 to 13%. The r2 of the linear regression of the estimated on the determined fecal output was .74, .75, and .70 for M1, M2, and M3, respectively.     

Functional interactions of manno-oligosaccharides with dietary threonine in chicken gastrointestinal tract. III. Feed passage rate

1. A 3 × 2 factorial experimental design was used to investigate the interaction between threonine concentration (0.70, 1.0 and 1.3 of National Research Council (NRC), 1994, recommendations) and manno-oligosaccharides (0 and 2 g/kg) on feed passage rate in relation to intestinal microbial activities and crude mucin turnover. 2. There was no interaction between the effects of manno-oligosaccharides (MOS) and dietary threonine on total tract transit time. However, an interaction between MOS and threonine was apparent where increasing threonine in the absence of MOS led to a reduction in the mean retention time, but a trend in the opposite direction in the presence of MOS. The ileal mean retention time at deficient and adequate concentrations of threonine was also significantly shorter in the presence of MOS. 3. In the jejunum, dietary MOS interacted with threonine to increase the villus-to-crypt ratio with deficient and adequate concentrations of threonine but not with an excess. In the ileum, MOS had no effect on the villus-to-crypt ratio at the deficient and adequate concentrations of threonine but significantly increased the ileal villus-to-crypt ratio with an excess. 4. There were significant interactions between MOS and dietary threonine in their effects on ileal flow of crude mucin, with MOS supplementation increasing mucin concentration and output when threonine was adequate but not when deficient or in excess. 5. Neither MOS nor threonine affected volatile fatty acids and intestinal musculature. No effects of gut microflora or voluntary feed intake on feed passage rate was attributable to dietary threonine or MOS supplementation.     

Effects of roughage particle size on site of nutrient digestion and digesta flow through the gastrointestinal tract of sheep fed corncob-concentrate diets

An experiment examining nutritional effects of dietary corncob particle size was conducted using ruminal-, duodenal- and ileal-cannulated sheep in a 4 X 4 Latin square design. Site of nutrient digestion and digesta flow were the principal criteria evaluated. Analyses of dry matter (DM), N, starch and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were performed on feed, feces and digesta samples. Chromic oxide-impregnated paper was used as an external marker to estimate digestibilities at different sites along the gastrointestinal tract. Ruminal pH and volatile fatty acid molar proportions were also determined. All diets (74.9% concentrates: 25.1% corncobs) were pelleted and were similar in ingredient composition but varied in corncob particle size (corncob mean particle sizes were 6.5, 5.4, 1.4 or .8 mm). Dietary crude protein levels differed little among treatments. Starch concentration was higher in diets containing the larger corncob particles while NDF, acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose concentrations were lower in diets containing larger particles, suggesting a reaction between starch and fiber moieties during the pelleting process. Starch flow past the duodenum decreased (P less than .05) as dietary corncob particle size decreased. Apparent NDF digestion before the duodenum was highest for sheep fed diets containing 1.4-mm corncobs (P less than .05). Apparent starch digestion in the small intestine decreased (P less than .05) as dietary corncob particle size decreased. A considerable amount of NDF was apparently digested in the small intestine of sheep consuming diets containing 5.4- and .8-mm corncobs. Likewise, a substantial amount of NDF was apparently digested in the large intestine. Few differences in apparent total tract digestibilities were noted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reticular contraction attributes and passage of digesta from the ruminoreticulum in cattle fed roughage diets.

Four nonlactating Holstein dairy cows (BW = 692 +/- 49 kg) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment to determine how changes in attributes of reticular contractions were related to changes in passage of digesta from the ruminoreticulum in cattle fed a forage-based diet. Frequencies of reticular contraction during eating, ruminating, and resting phases of the feeding cycle were not affected (P = .09; P = .07; P = .09, respectively) by feeding level. Duration and amplitude of reticular contractions both increased linearly during eating (P = .03; P = .01), ruminating (P = .01; P = .02), and resting (P = .04; P = .02), respectively, as feed intake level increased. After removing the effects of intake, squared partial correlations computed within analyses of covariance indicated that NDF flow was not related to frequency (r2 = .15, P = .20) but was positively correlated with duration (r2 = .76, P = .0001) and amplitude (r2 = .56, P = .003) of contraction, indicating that duration and amplitude of reticular contraction were more associated with duodenal NDF flow than frequency. However, duration of reticular contraction (r2 = .47, P = .014) explained a greater variation in duodenal NDF flow than amplitude (r2 = .011, P = .74). Stepwise multiple regression also indicated that duration of reticular contraction was the attribute most associated (r2 = .76, P = .0001) with duodenal NDF flow. It was concluded that the changes in digesta passage from the ruminoreticulum were associated primarily with changes in the duration of reticular contraction.     

Comparative in vitro fermentation activity in the canine distal gastrointestinal tract and fermentation kinetics of fiber sources

The current study aimed to evaluate the variation in fermentation activity along the distal canine gastrointestinal tract (GIT, Exp. 1). It also aimed to assess fermentation kinetics and end product profiles of 16 dietary fibers for dog foods using canine fecal inoculum (Exp. 2). For Exp. 1, digesta were collected from the distal ileum, proximal colon, transverse colon, and rectum of 3 adult dogs. Digesta per part of the GIT were pooled for 3 dogs, diluted (1:25, wt/vol), mixed, and filtered for the preparation of inoculum. A fructan, ground soy hulls, and native potato starch were used as substrates and incubated for cumulative gas production measurement as an indicator of the kinetics of fermentation. In addition, fermentation bottles with similar contents were incubated but were allowed to release their gas throughout incubation. Fermentation fluid was sampled at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after initiation of incubation, and short-chain fatty acids and ammonia were measured. Results showed comparable maximal fermentation rates for rectal and proximal colonic inocula (P > 0.05). Production of short-chain fatty acids was least for the ileal and greatest for the rectal inoculum (P < 0.05). Therefore, for in vitro studies, fecal microbiota can be used as an inoculum source but may slightly overestimate in vivo fermentation. Experiment 2 evaluated the gas production, fermentation kinetics, and end product profiles at 8 and 72 h of incubation for citrus pectin, 3 fructans, gum arabic, 3 guar gums, pea fiber, peanut hulls, soy fiber, sugar beet fiber, sugar beet pectin, sugar beet pulp, wheat fiber, and wheat middlings. Feces of 4 adult dogs were used as an inoculum source. Similar techniques were used as in Exp. 1 except for the dilution factor used (1:10, wt/vol). Among substrates, large variations in fermentation kinetics and end product profiles were noted. Sugar beet pectin, the fructans, and the gums were rapidly fermentable, indicated by a greater maximal rate of gas production (R(max)) compared with all other substrates (P < 0.05), whereas peanut hulls and wheat fiber were poorly fermentable, indicated by the least amount of gas produced (P < 0.05). Sugar beet fiber, sugar beet pulp, soy fiber, and wheat middlings were moderately fermentable with a low R(max). Citrus pectin and pea fiber showed a similar low R(max), but time at which this occurred was later compared with sugar beet fiber, sugar beet pulp, soy fiber, and wheat middlings (P < 0.05). Results of this study can be used to formulate canine diets that stimulate dietary fiber fermentation along the distal GIT that may optimize GIT health and stimulate the level of satiety in dogs.     

Effects of different sources of protein on the growth performance,blood chemistry and polypeptide profiles in the gastrointestinal tract digesta of newly weaned piglets

To determine the effects of different sources of protein on the growth performance of newly weaned piglets, 72 newly weaned piglets were randomly assigned to three groups fed different diets (soya bean, casein and dried distillers' grain with solubles (DDGS) feeds). Casein and DDGS feeds consisted of soya bean feed in which 5% of the CP was replaced with casein‐ or DDGS‐derived CP respectively. Blood and chyme samples were collected from each piglet 2 h post‐feeding on days 0 and 28 of the feeding period. The DDGS feed decreased DMI (p = 0.024) and increased FCR (p = 0.025) due to lower nitrogen utilization (p = 0.078) than those of other feeds. Total amino acid content in chyme demonstrated that casein feed digested rapidly in the duodenum (p = 0.005), whereas DDGS feed was digested primarily in the distal jejunum (p = 0.003) and ileocecum (p = 0.002). However, polypeptide profiles in chyme exhibited a pattern different from those of amino acids. There were no differences in the polypeptide profiles in the stomachs of piglets fed soya bean or casein feeds (p > 0.05), but soya bean group had greater amounts of small polypeptides (mass under m/z 3000 Da) in the duodenum (p = 0.052) than other groups. In contrast, the DDGS feed group had more large polypeptides (m/z 3000–4000 Da) in the stomach than the other groups (p < 0.001). In addition, 10 pairs of polypeptides with matching masses were identified in the plasma and digesta, indicating that polypeptides may have been transported across the intestinal epithelial cells and into the blood. Taken together, substitution of 5% of the CP in soya bean meal‐based feed with DDGS‐derived CP decreased the growth performance of newly weaned piglets due to poor digestibility and N utilization of DDGS feed, as well as untimely digestion of casein feed.