THE USE OF INTRAGASTRIC NUTRITION TO STUDY SALIVA SECRETION AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUMEN OSMOTIC-PRESSURE AND WATER TRANSPORT

Four sheep sustained by intragastric nutrition were used to study sali va secretion and the relationship between osmotic pressure in the rume n and net water transport across the rumen wall. Different concentrati ons of buffer were infused into the rumen to change the rumen osmotic pressure. Salivary secretion was estimated from entrance of P into the rumen. Net water transport across the rumen wall was calculated as th e difference between water inflow and water outflow from the rumen. A negative linear relationship between the rumen osmotic pressure (X, mO sm/kg) and the water absorption across the rumen wall (Y, ml/h) was fo und: Y = (394 SE 8.3)-(1.22 SE 0.03)X, r(2) 0.83, (P < 0.001), and a p ositive linear relationship was found between the rumen osmotic pressu re (X, mOsm/kg) and the outflow rate of rumen fluid (Y, ml/h): Y = (34 .0 SE 8.0)+(0.97 SE 0.03)X, r(2) 0.56, (P < 0.001). The implication is that rumen osmotic pressure can be a key factor in the control of the net water transport across the rumen wall, the outflow of rumen fluid to omasum and the rumen liquid dilution rate. A method is suggested b y which salivary secretion in sheep may be calculated from the water b alance in the rumen.