title: Excretion rates of indigestible plastic balls of different specific gravities and diameters in dairy cattle.
abstract: We used plastic balls to investigate how their specific gravity and diameter affect excretion rate and rumination in dairy cattle, to develop a capsule that can be used for reaching the lower gastrointestinal tract without physical breakdown and/or degradation in the rumen. Twelve types of indigestible plastic balls composed of a combination of four specific gravities (0.95, 1.19, 1.41, or 2.20) and three diameters (3.97, 6.35, or 7.94 mm) were orally administered to lactating dairy cows, and the balls were collected from feces, after 120 h post-administration, to evaluate the recovery rate. Recovery rate of the balls with specific gravity 1.19 or 1.41 and diameter 6.35 or 7.94 mm was higher than those with specific gravity 0.95 or 2.20 and diameter 3.97 mm. The cumulative recovery rate at 24 and 48 h post-administration was higher for balls with specific gravity 1.19 than that for balls with other specific gravities. These results suggest that specific gravity 1.19 or 1.41 and diameters 6.35-7.94 mm are optimal for use in bypass capsules for administration to cattle. In addition, the passage time of capsules differed between specific gravities 1.19 and 1.41.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Research, Local incorporated administrative agency Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Research, Local incorporated administrative agency Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirayasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Research, Local incorporated administrative agency Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasai
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002214:Capsules / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D066237:Intestinal Elimination / Q000502:physiology*; D007774:Lactation; D010316:Particle Size; D010969:Plastics; D012417:Rumen / Q000502:physiology; D013046:Specific Gravity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D010969:Plastics
keywords: dairy cattle; excretion rate; rumen bypass; specific gravity and diameter