Effect of orally administered omeprazole on abomasal luminal pH in dairy calves fed milk replacer

The objective of this study was to determine whether oral administration of omeprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor, increased abomasal luminal pH in calves fed milk replacer. Four male dairy calves with cannulae in the abomasal body suckled milk replacer (60 ml/kg body weight every 12 h) and were administered a non-enteric-coated omeprazole (4 mg/kg body weight every 24 h) in a paste formulation for five successive days. Abomasal luminal pH was continuously measured using miniature glass pH electrodes. On the first day of omeprazole administration, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in mean 24-h pH from 2.89 to 4.17. The mean 24-h pH on days 2, 3, 4 and 5 of omeprazole administration were 3.85, 4.02, 3.97 and 3.39 respectively. We conclude that oral administration of non-enteric-coated omeprazole increased abomasal luminal pH in calves fed milk replacer, but that the effect may decrease over time.