Measurement of abomasal conditions (pH, pressure and temperature) in healthy and diarrheic dairy calves using a wireless ambulatory capsule

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThis study investigated abomasal luminal parameters in healthy and diarrheic calves by using a wireless ambulatory capsule (WAC). The acetaminophen absorption test (APAT) was used to determine abomasal emptying rate. Four healthy and five diarrheic female Holstein-Friesian calves (age < 14 days) were included in the study. For APAT, calves were fed 2 L of milk replacer containing 50 mg acetaminophen/kg body weight, and blood samples were taken during a 12-h period afterward. Concomitantly, a WAC in the abomasum continuously measured luminal pH, pressure, and temperature. Five hours post suckling, intraluminal temperature was significantly higher in diarrheic calves than in healthy calves. Abomasal pH and pressure were not significantly different, but intraluminal pressure was always numerically lower in diarrheic calves. During APAT no significant differences in maximum acetaminophen concentrations (C max ) and time to reach maximum acetaminophen concentration (T max ) were observed. Nonlinear regression findings revealed a longer acetaminophen half-time (AAP t 1/2 ) in diarrheic calves compared to healthy calves [564 ± 96 min vs. 393 ± 84 min, respectively; P = 0.04] and lower area under the concentration curve values (e.g., 60 min postprandial AUC 60 681 ± 244 (µg•min)/mL vs. 1064 ± 23 (µg•min)/mL, respectively; P = 0.04). In conclusion, abomasal luminal conditions were different between diarrheic and healthy calves. Significant differences in APAT reflected a delay in abomasal emptying in diarrheic calves. Impaired abomasal movement may induce enhanced bacterial fermentation processes as indicated by a higher abomasal temperature in diarrheic calves, which should be considered in management of their feeding.

Effects of milk replacer feeding rate and frequency of preweaning dairy calves in the southeastern United States: Performance, abomasal emptying, and nutrient digestibility

“…Our results suggest that heat stress may also delay abomasal emptying in preweaning calves when FR is increased. It is worth noting that other stressors, such as diarrhea, have also been reported to delay abomasal emptying in calves (Kirchner et al, 2015;Hildebrandt et al, 2017).…”

Abomasal emptying rate of diarrhoeic and healthy suckling calves fed with oral rehydration solutions

“…Marshall et al () postulated that the time to reach maximum serum AP levels was the most accurate index to describe AER. Further, lower abomasal pressure data and higher abomasal temperature data were described in diarrhoeic calves than in healthy calves (Hildebrandt et al, ).…”

“…Kirchner et al () recently described delayed abomasal emptying during diarrhoea in suckling calves. According to these findings, a delay in abomasal emptying and changes in intraluminal conditions, such as temperature, were confirmed by using an acetaminophen absorption test (APAT) and a telemetric device in diarrhoeic calves (Hildebrandt et al, ). Impaired abomasal motility might be a risk factor for bacterial mal‐fermentation processes facilitating the production of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA).…”

In Vitro and In Vivo Test Methods for the Evaluation of Gastroretentive Dosage Forms

“…An extreme example for a poor animal model with respect to the investigation of the gastroretentive potential is the dairy calve. In a recent study, we found gastric residence times for telemetric capsules that exceeded the power supply of the capsules (>5 days) [124]. Such examples demonstrate that comparable dimensions of the gastrointestinal segments are not necessarily indicative of the comparable transit behavior of dosage forms.…”