Nutrient sensitivity of gastric emptying of digesta in the preruminant calf.

1. Studies of gastric function were made in preruminant calves fitted with a single abomasal cannula, re-entrant cannulas in the duodenum close to the pylorus and recording electrodes on the pyloric antrum and proximal duodenum. 2. Simultaneous measurements were made of gastric emptying of a saline (9 g sodium chloride/l) meal, myoelectric activity of antral muscle and plasma concentration of somatostatin in jugular blood whilst infusing the duodenum with different solutions. The duodenal infusates were isotonic sodium bicarbonate (300 mosmol/kg), hyperosmolar solutions of NaCl (1000 mosmol/kg), sodium carbonate (500 mosmol/kg), sucrose (1000 mosmol/kg), 41 g emulsified butterfat/kg or 60 mM-hydrochloric acid. 3. Infusing the duodenum with isotonic NaHCO3 stimulated intense myoelectric activity of the antral smooth muscle and rapid emptying of the test meal. In contrast, infusions of 60 mM-HCl reduced antral motility and inhibited gastric emptying of digesta. This inhibitory response to HCl infusion was related to a significant (P less than 0.05) increase of somatostatin in peripheral venous blood. 4. The Na2CO3 infusate, like HCl, inhibited gastric motor activity and digesta emptying, but the concentration of circulating somatostatin was only slightly elevated above pre-infusion levels. 5. Compared with the effects of infusing HCl, infusions of emulsified butterfat or hyperosmolar NaCl and sucrose induced a greater intensity of antral motor activity and faster outflow of gastric effluent, although not to the same extent as with isotonic NaHCO3. However, as with isotonic NaHCO3, these infusates did not evoke the release of somatostatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)