title: Invited review: Abomasal emptying in calves and its potential influence on gastrointestinal disease.
abstract: Creating the ideal nutrition program for calves is a demanding task that has undergone tremendous change in recent years. Products and technologies including novel milk replacers and automated calf feeding systems have been developed to facilitate the ability of dairy producers to feed for higher growth rates before weaning. The creation of new feeding programs and milk replacers has to be looked at carefully, not only from a nutrition point of view but also from the perspective of a potential effect on physiologic digestion and calf health. Abomasal emptying is a critical factor that may link nutrition and disease. The purpose of this article is to review both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are responsible for abomasal emptying. Predominant extrinsic factors controlling abomasal emptying include meal volume, energy density, and osmolality along with the content and source of protein. This article also reviews experimental methods used to measure abomasal emptying in the calf including those that would be appropriate for use under field conditions. Among these methods, the use of ultrasonography and different absorption tests (d-xylose, acetaminophen) as tools to measure abomasal emptying are discussed. The relationship between abomasal emptying and disease is explored, particularly as it relates to abomasal bloat. Abomasal bloat is a complex syndrome that seems to be increasing in frequency and whose etiology likely at least partially involves slowing of abomasal emptying. Suggestions for minimizing the effect of feeding programs on abomasal emptying are explored as well as needs for future research.
authors.affiliation: University Clinic for Ruminants, Veterinary University Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burgstaller
authors.affiliation: University Clinic for Ruminants, Veterinary University Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wittek
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27607. Electronic address: Geoffrey_Smith@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Geof W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000018:Abomasum / Q000502:physiology*; D065567:Absorption, Physiological; D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D014994:Xylose / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen; D014994:Xylose
keywords: abomasum; bloat; milk replacer; osmolality; tympany