VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS AND LACTIC ACID IN THE ALIMENTARY TRACT OF THE YOUNG PIG

1963 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 174-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Friend ◽  
H. M. Cunningham ◽  
J. W. G. Nicholson

A total of 208 digesta samples from the stomach, small intestine, caecum and colon of 79 piglets killed between 1 and 9 weeks of age were analysed for volatile fatty acids (C1 – C5) and lactic acid.The total concentration of the acids in the large intestine ranged from 11 to 29 meq./100 ml. fluid which generally exceeded that in the stomach and small intestine. As the pigs aged, concentration tended to decrease in the upper sections and increase in the lower section of the tract. The addition of whey to a basal "creep" ration, fed from 3 weeks of age, had no apparent effect on the concentration of acids.Formic acid was found only in the small intestine. Increased proportions of acetic and propionic acids in the stomach of the 5-week-old pig indicated dietary effects due to the introduction of solid feed. Lactic acid proportions were from zero in the large intestine to 95 per cent in the stomach. The proportions of lactic acid in the stomach and small intestine of pigs at 9 weeks was markedly higher than at 7 weeks when weaned. Antibiotic (100 gm. chlortetracycline/ton) added to the whey ration fed to 4 pigs from 7 weeks of age gave increases in concentration which were significant (P < 0.05) only in the stomach. The proportion of acids was not altered by antibiotic in the feed.

1963 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Friend ◽  
H. M. Cunningham ◽  
J. W. G. Nicholson

Two experiments were conducted to measure volatile fatty acids and lactic acid in the alimentary tract of pigs. The animals had been fed either a cellulose-, bran- or dried whey-supplemented diet before slaughter.The cellulose-supplemented diet generally gave a lower total organic acid content than did the control diet, for each section of the tract examined. A high concentration and large quantity of organic acid characterized the colon of the pig.In the second experiment, where the control diet was supplemented with either bran or dried whey, formic acid was found only in the stomach and small intestine of each pig. Lactic acid in the large intestine was found less often in the bran-fed pigs than it was in the pigs fed the other two diets.The digesta of the small intestine gave the lowest (P < 0.01) total concentration (meq./100 ml.) of organic acid. The concentration of acid in the caecum of the control pigs was nearly twice that reported for the caecum of cattle.The proportion of lactic acid decreased progressively as the digesta passed along the tract, the differences being highly significant (P < 0.01) between the upper sections (stomach and small intestine) and lower sections (caecum and colon). There was a tendency for the bran-fed pigs to have a greater proportion of acetic acid in the digesta than the controls. Acetic, propionic and butyric acids were found in the caecum of the bran-fed pigs in the proportions of 60, 32 and 7.5 per cent, respectively. The type of diet and the locality of the digesta affected significantly the proportion of acids found in the alimentary tract.The largest quantity of organic acid (gm.) was found in the stomach and slightly less in the proximal portion of the colon. The total quantity of organic acid present in the alimentary tract at the time of examination was calculated to be 45, 60 and 49 grams for the control, whey- and the bran-fed pigs respectively.


1968 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Topps ◽  
R. N. B. Kay ◽  
E. D. Goodall

1. The flow of digesta to the abomasum and through the duodenum and terminal ileum was measured over 24 h periods in sheep. Pelleted diets of concentrates, principally composed of barley, and of poor-quality hay were given. The seven Scottish Blackface ewes studied were all fitted with rumen cannulas, and in addition two had simple abomasal cannulas, one a re-entrant abomasal cannula, two re-entrant duodenal cannulas, and two re-entrant ileal cannulas.2. Paper impregnated with chromium sesquioxide was given twice daily by rumen fistula. The amounts of dry matter, starch, cellulose, total nitrogen and energy passing through the abomasum, duodenum and ileum and the amounts excreted in the faeces were measured. The flows of digesta were adjusted to give 100% recovery of chromium sesquioxide and the extent of digestion in various parts of the alimentary tract was calculated using these adjusted values. Concentrations of glucose in the blood and of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the rumen were also measured.3. For the concentrate diet, 69% of the digestible dry matter disappeared in the stomach (reticulo-rumen, omasum and abomasum), 17% in the smail intestine and 14% in the large intestine. Values for disappearance of digestible energy were 72% in the stomach, 23% in the small intestine and 5% in the large intestine. Of the 298 g starch fed daily only 6–35 g passed through the abomasum or duodenum and only 1–4 g reached the terminal ileum. The cellulose in the diet was poorly digested.4. For the hay diet, 67% of the digestible dry matter disappeared in the stomach, 22% in the small intestine and 11% in the large intestine. Values for disappearance of digestible energy were 81% in the stomach, 7% in the small intestine and 12% in the large intestine. Of the 33 g of starch consumed daily, from 5 to 13 g passed through the abomasum or duodenum. The cellulose in the hay was 59% digestible and virtually all this digestion took place in the stomach.5. The concentration of VFA and the proportion of propionate in the rumen fluid, 2·5 h after feeding, were considerably greater on the concentrate diet than on the hay diet, but diet had little influence on the concentration of blood glucose.6. The importance of the small amount of starch passing to the sheep's small intestine is discussed.


1992 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Schutte ◽  
J. de Jong ◽  
E. J. van Weerden ◽  
S. Tamminga

The pentose sugar l-arabinose is one of the most abundant components released by complete hydrolysis of non-starch polysaccharides of feed ingredients of vegetable origin. Two studies were conducted to investigate the apparent ileal digestibility and urinary excretion of l-arabinose at dietary inclusion levels of 50 and 100 g/kg, and 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/kg respectively, in pigs. As a reference, d-glucose was included in the studies. Water intake, ileal flow of volatile fatty acids and ileal and faecal digestibilities of dietary nutrients in pigs fed on the different diets were also examined. Castrated pigs were prepared with a post-valvular T-caecum cannula to measure ileal digestibility. Faecal digestibility was measured in non-cannulated pigs. Apparent ileal digestibility of l-arabinose was found to be approximately 70%. The presence of l-arabinose in the diet increased ileal flow of volatile fatty acids and lactic acid, suggesting the occurrence of microbial degradation of l-arabinose in the pig small intestine. l-arabinose was partly excreted in the urine. The extent of this urinary excretion as a percentage of intake increased linearly (P < 0.01) as the dietary level increased. In pigs fed on the 25 g l-arabinose/kg diet, 10.9% of the l-arabinose consumed appeared in the urine. This level was increased to 14.7% when pigs were fed on a diet containing 100 g l-arabinose/kg diet. Faecal digestibility and retention of nitrogen decreased significantly in pigs fed on the l-arabinose diets.


1947 ◽  
Vol 23 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 346-349
Author(s):  
A. T. PHILLIPSON

The significance of fermentation in the large gut of the dog has been investigated. According to the quantities of volatile acids and their relation to body weight, the lower fatty acids do not appear to contribute more than a small portion of the energy requirements of the animal. Evidence is presented to show that the individual acids produced in the large intestine consist largely of acetic and propionic acids and that the amount of butyric present is small. This is the same mixture of acids found where fermentation occurs in the alimentary tract of ruminants, horses, pigs, rabbits and rats. The higher proportion of propionic acid is interesting and suggests that the propionic acid bacteria are normal inhabitants of the large intestine of the dog and possibly of a wide variety of animals.


1929 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 649-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Subrahmanyan

Methods for extraction, concentration and determination of minute quantities of soluble carbohydrates, lactic acid and volatile fatty acids have been described. Different factors affecting the accuracy of the determinations have been studied and corrections, where necessary, have been suggested.


1972 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Clapperton ◽  
J. W. Czerkawski

1. Propane-1:2-diol (loog/d) was infused through a cannula into the rumen of sheep receiving a ration of hay and dried grass. The concentration of volatile fatty acids, propanediol, lactic acid and of added polyethylene glycol, and the pH of the rumen contents were measured. The energy metabolism of the sheep was also determined.2. Most of the propanediol disappeared from the rumen within 4 h of its infusion. The infusion of propanediol resulted in a 10% decrease in the concentration of total volatile acids; the concentration of acetic acid decreased by about 30%, that of propionic acid increased by up to 60% and there was no change in the concentration of butyric acid.3. The methane production of the sheep decreased by about 9% after the infusion of propanediol and there were increases in the oxgyen consumption, carbon dioxide production and heat production of the animals; each of these increases was equivalent to about 40% of the theoretical value for the complete metabolism of 100 g propanediol.4. It is concluded that, when propanediol is introduced into the rumen, a proportion is metabolized in the rumen and a large proportion is absorbed directly. Our thanks are due to Dr J. H. Moore for helpful discussions, to Mr D. R. Paterson, Mr J. R. McDill and Mr C. E. Park for looking after the animals and to Miss K. M. Graham, Miss A. T. McKay and Mrs C. E. Ramage for performing the analyses.


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