Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T06:02:23.578Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Low-cost mobile open-circuit hood system for measuring gas exchange in small ruminants: from manual to automatic recording

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2015

C. FERNÁNDEZ ,
M. C. LÓPEZ  and
M. LACHICA
C. FERNÁNDEZ
Affiliation:
Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
M. C. LÓPEZ
Affiliation:
Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
M. LACHICA*
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of Animal Nutrition, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Camino del Jueves s/n, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Improvements of a home-made mobile open-circuit respirometry system for the rapid determination of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production, oxygen (O2) consumption and, thereafter, heat production (HP) for small ruminants are described and validated. Upgrades consisted of three main features: utilization of a head hood (replacing the previous face mask); use of a computerized control system, data acquisition and recording for gases and air flux (replacing collecting bags for air sampling); and use of a gas cooler to remove the air sample moisture (replacing the chemical drier (silica gel) approach). Calibration factors were established by injecting nitrogen (N2) and CO2 in the system into the head hood. Repetitive and consistent values for the calibration factor were obtained for O2 and CO2 which confirmed the absence of leaks and the good performance of the system. In addition, an experimental test with 12 Manchega female dry sheep was conducted to validate the system. Three diets based on cereal grain, fibrous by-products and alfalfa hay (ALH) were used with four sheep per diet. Metabolizable energy intake was close to metabolizable energy for maintenance. Average HP measured by indirect calorimetry (respiratory quotient (RQ) method) was close to the average HP determined from Carbon–Nitrogen balance (CN method) accounting for 443 and 426 kJ/kg0·75 body weight (BW) per day, respectively. Fasting HP was determined by the RQ method with two sheep from the ALH diet accounting for 269 kJ/kg0·75 BW per day. The head hood and computerized control, data acquisition and recording as well as the gas cooler improved the system by reducing the labour input without loss of functionality for measuring gas exchange and energy metabolism in small ruminants.

Type
Animal Research Paper
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 153 , Issue 7 , September 2015 , pp. 1302 - 1309
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aguilera, J. F. & Prieto, C. (1986). Description and function of an open-circuit respiration plant for pigs and small ruminants and the techniques used to measure energy metabolism. Archives of Animal Nutrition 11, 1009–1018.Google Scholar
Aguilera, J. F., Molina, E., Prieto, C. & Boza, J. (1986). Determination of energy requirements for maintenance in sheep of Segureña breed. Archivos de Zootecnia 35, 89–96.Google Scholar
AOAC (2000). Official Methods of Analysis. 17th edn, Arlington, VA: Association of Official Analytical Chemists.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. (1967). Techniques in energy metabolism studies and their limitations. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 26, 86–96.Google Scholar
Brockway, J. M., Boyne, A. W. & Gordon, J. G. (1971). Simultaneous calibration of gas analyzers and meters. Journal of Applied Physiology 31, 296–297.Google Scholar
Brosh, A. (2007). Heart rate measurements as an index of energy expenditure and energy balance in ruminants: a review. Journal of Animal Science 85, 1213–1227.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brouwer, E. (1965). Report of subcommittee on constraints and factors. In Proceedings of the 3rd Symposium on Energy Metabolism (Ed. Blaxter, K. L.), pp. 441–445. EAAP Publication No. 11. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Christensen, K., Chwalibog, A., Henckel, S. & Thorbek, G. (1988). Heat production in growing pigs calculated according to the RQ and CN methods. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A: Physiology 91, 463–468.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández, C., López, M. C. & Lachica, M. (2012 a). Description and function of a mobile open-circuit respirometry system to measure gas exchange in small ruminants. Animal Feed Science and Technology 172, 242–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández, C., López, M. C. & Lachica, M. (2012 b). Heat production determined by the RQ and CN methods, fasting heat production and effect of the energy intake on substrates oxidation of indigenous Manchega sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology 178, 115–119.Google Scholar
Freetly, H. C., Nienaber, J. A., Leymaster, K. A. & Jenkins, T. G. (1995). Relationships among heat production, body weight, and age in Suffolk and Texel ewes. Journal of Animal Science 73, 1030–1037.Google Scholar
Freetly, H. C., Nienaber, J. A., Brown-Brandl, T. M. (2002). Relationships among heat production, body weight, and age in Finnsheep and Rambouillet ewes. Journal of Animal Science 80, 825–832.Google Scholar
Just, A., Fernández, J. A. & Jørgensen, H. (1982). Nitrogen balance studies and nitrogen retention. In Digestive Physiology in the Pig. 2nd International Seminar Jouy-en-Josas, Versailles, 27–29 October 1982 (Eds LaPlace, J. P., Corring, J. & Rerat, A.), pp. 111–122. Paris, France: INRA.Google Scholar
Kelly, J. M., Kerrigan, B., Milligan, L. P. & McBride, B. W. (1994). Development of a mobile, open-circuit indirect calorimetry system. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 74, 65–71.Google Scholar
Kleiber, M. (1972). The Fire of Life: an Introduction to Animal Energetics. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Lachica, M. & Aguilera, J. F. (2005). Energy expenditure of walk in grassland for small ruminants. Small Ruminant Research 59, 105–121.Google Scholar
Lachica, M. & Aguilera, J. F. (2008). Methods to estimate the energy expenditure of goats: From the lab to the field. Small Ruminant Research 79, 179–182.Google Scholar
Lachica, M., Aguilera, J. F. & Prieto, C. (1997). Energy expenditure related to the act of eating in Granadina goats given diets of different physical form. British Journal of Nutrition 77, 417–426.Google Scholar
McLean, J. A. & Tobin, G. (1987). Animal and Human Calorimetry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Mertens, D. R. (2002). Gravimetric determination of amylase-treated neutral detergent fibre in feeds with refluxing beakers or crucibles: collaborative study. Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists International 85, 1217–1240.Google Scholar
Olthoff, J. C., Dickerson, G. E. & Nienaber, J. A. (1989). Energy utilization in mature ewes from seven breeds with diverse production potentials. Journal of Animal Science 67, 2550–2564.Google Scholar
Puchala, R., Tovar-Luna, I., Goetsch, A. L., Sahlu, T., Carstens, G. E. & Freetly, H. C. (2007). The relationship between heart rate and energy expenditure in Alpine, Angora, Boer and Spanish goat wethers consuming different quality diets at level of intake near maintenance or fasting. Small Ruminant Research 70, 183–193.Google Scholar
Robertson, J. B. & Van Soest, P. J. (1981). The detergent system of analysis and its application to human foods. In The Analysis of Dietary Fiber in Foods (Eds James, W. P. T. & Theander, O.), pp. 123–142. New York: Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
SAS (2001). Statistical Analysis System, Version 8.2. Cary, NC, USA: SAS.Google Scholar
Takahashi, J. & Young, B. A. (1992). The modulation of nitrate-enhanced hypothermia by sulphur compounds in cold-exposed sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology 39, 347–355.Google Scholar
Takahashi, J., Chaudhry, A. S., Beneke, R. G. & Young, B. A. (1999). An open-circuit hood system for gaseous exchange measurements in small ruminants. Small Ruminant Research 32, 31–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tovar-Luna, I., Puchala, R., Sahlu, T., Freetly, H. C. & Goetsch, A. L. (2010). Effects of stage of lactation and dietary concentrate level on energy utilization by Alpine dairy goats. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 4818–4828.Google Scholar
Young, B. A., Walker, V. A. & Whitmore, W. T. (1988). Procedure for measuring resting and summit metabolism in sheep and calves. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 68, 173–182.Google Scholar