Technical note: Infusion, sampling, and vacuum-assisted collection devices for use in ruminally cannulated calves

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Ruminant Nutrition
• Agricultural Engineering

Background:

• Assessing digestive processes in young, ruminally cannulated calves is limited by equipment size and lack of standardized procedures.
• Technical challenges hinder studies on ruminal passage kinetics, nutrient digestion, and volatile fatty acid absorption in calves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate specialized devices for infusion, sampling, and vacuum-assisted collection in young, ruminally cannulated calves.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these custom-built tools in standard ruminant nutrition research procedures.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of two custom devices: one for infusion/sampling and one for vacuum-assisted collection.
• Testing infusion/sampling device using LiCoEDTA to assess rumen liquid passage rate in a 62-day-old calf.
• Testing vacuum-assisted collection device for evacuating rumen contents for washed reticulorumen technique.

Main Results:

• The infusion/sampling device successfully administered LiCoEDTA and collected rumen fluid, estimating liquid passage rate at 40.2%/h.
• The vacuum-assisted collection device efficiently evacuated rumen contents, representing approximately 4% of body weight.
• Both devices proved efficacious in a 62-day-old calf fed a starter diet.

Conclusions:

• Custom-designed devices overcome size limitations for studying digestive physiology in young, ruminally cannulated calves.
• These tools facilitate accurate assessment of ruminal passage kinetics, nutrient digestion, and volatile fatty acid absorption.
• The developed techniques offer valuable resources for advancing dairy calf nutrition research.