Effects of the following treatments on abomasal and duodenal myoelectric activity in yearling cattle were studied: 2 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution (NACL); 0.07 mg of bethanechol (BET)/kg of body weight; 0.1 mg of metoclopramide (MET)/kg; and 0.07 mg of bethanechol and 0.1 mg of metoclopramide (BETMET)/kg. All treatments were administered SC during the early part of phase I of the migrating myoelectric complex Myoelectric signals were recorded for 4 hours after administration of the treatments from 1 electrode in the antrum and 3 electrodes in the duodenum. For the antral spike rate (ASR), there was no significant difference among treatments during the first hour, but the ASR was significantly (P < 0.05) greater during hours 2 to 4 after treatment with BETMET, compared with ASR for MET alone. The duodenal spike rate (DSR) was significantly (P < 0.05) greater during the first hour after administration of BETMET than after the other treatments. After administration of BET, DSR was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than after MET or NACL. There was no difference in DSR after MET, compared with DSR after NACL. There was no significant difference in DSR among treatments during the second and third hours. The total antegrade propagating spike (TAPS) count was greater after administration of BETMET in all hours, compared with the other treatments. The ratio of TAPS to total spikes on the orad-most duodenal electrode was significantly (P < 0.05) greater after BETMET during hours 1 and 2.

The effect of bethanechol, neostigmine, metoclopramide, and propranolol on myoelectric activity of the ileum, cecum, and proximal loop of the ascending colon was determined in 6 healthy Jersey cows implanted with 8 pairs of bipolar electrodes. Assigned at random, each cow received each of 5 treatments in 3-day intervals. The treatments included bethanechol (0.07 mg/kg of body weight, SC), neostigmine (0.02 mg/kg, SC), metoclopramide (0.15 mg/kg, IM), DL-propranolol (0.2 mg/kg, IM), and 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution (20 ml, SC). All drugs were administered during early phase I of the migrating myoelectric complex in the ileum. Myoelectric activity was recorded for 4 hours after treatment, and data were analyzed for each hour separately. Bethanechol and neostigmine significantly (P < 0.05) increased the number of cecocolic spikes per minute per electrode, duration of cecocolic spike activity (%), and number of cecocolic propagated spike sequences per 10 minutes, relative to NaCI, during 1 or more hours of the recording period. The effect of bethanechol was more pronounced on duration of spike activity and number of propagated spike sequences, whereas neostigmine mainly increased the number of (uncoordinated) spikes. Metoclopramide and propranolol had no significant effect on cecocolic myoelectric activity, relative to NaCl. It was concluded that bethanechol and, less likely, neostigmine at the dosage used in this study may be suitable for medical treatment of cecal dilatation in cattle in which hypomotility of the cecum and proximal loop of the ascending colon has to be reversed. The potential advantage of bethanechol vs neostigmine for medical treatment of cecal dilatation is worth further evaluation.

Eight adult female cattle (6 Holstein, 1 Jersey, 1 Brown Swiss) were used to determine the antagonistic effects of tolazoline, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, on xylazine-induced (via caudal epidural administration) depression of CNS, respiratory, and cardiovascular activity and rumen motility. A 2% solution of xylazine HCl was injected into the epidural space at the first coccygeal interspace, using a dosage of 0.05 mg/kg of body weight, diluted to a 5-ml volume with sterile water, and administered at a rate of approximately 1 ml/30 s. Eight minutes after xylazine injection, either tolazoline (0.3 mg/kg) or saline solution (4 ml) was administered IV. All 8 cattle were treated, using both regimens in a random sequence; at least 1 week elapsed between treatments. Epidurally administered xylazine induced caudal analgesia (S3 to coccyx), as evaluated by no response to superficial and deep muscular pinprick, and induced sedation, cardiopulmonary depression, and inhibition of rumen motility, but all cattle remained standing. Tolazoline effectively reversed xylazine-induced rumen hypomotility, and partially antagonized xylazine-induced cardiopulmonary depression without affecting sedation and desirable local (S3 to coccyx) analgesic effects.

Health and ruminal variables were intensively measured during adaptation to grain-based diets in 6 beef cattle with fistulated rumens. The cows had been maintained on prairie grass hay-supplemented diets, and were converted to a grain-based finishing ration by feeding each successive diet (diets 1-4, respectively) for a period of 7 days. Each cow was evaluated and samples were obtained 3 times each day for the first 5 days that each diet was fed. Health variables monitored were rectal temperature, pulse, respiratory and rumen motility rates, fecal consistency, demeanor, blood pH, and blood glucose and L(+) lactate concentrations. Ruminal variables monitored were pH and glucose, DL-lactate, and volatile fatty acid concentrations of rumen contents. Data were analyzed by use of a multivariate ANOVA. We determined that most of the health variables were within reference rang limits throughout the adaptation period; however, analysis of pulse and respiratory rates indicated that diets 2 and 4 were stressful. Although blood pH continually decreased during feeding of the 4 diets (7.38 to 7.30), blood L(+) lactate and glucose concentrations had large increases only within diet 4. The pH of ruminal contents decreased progressively from 6.8 to 5.3. Rumen glucose concentration was low (< 1 micromole/ml), except with diet 4 in which values were 8 times higher than for other diets. By the end of the study, the ruminal contents of all animals were acidic (pH < 5.5), and, on the basis of higher than background amounts of ruminal glucose and DL-lactate, it was determined that rumen microbial equilibrium had not yet been achieved. Analysis of results of this study suggested that ruminal imbalance could be evaluated by monitoring pulse and respiratory rates, blood pH, and blood glucose concentrations. Assessment of the rumen alone could be accomplished by monitoring the variables of rumen pH, rumen glucose, and DL-lactate concentrations.