CZ27886U1 - Apparatus for continuous measurement of pH and redox potential in paunch - Google Patents

Description

Equipment for continuous measurement of pH and redox potential in rumen ruminants

Technical field

The invention relates to a device maintained by its own weight at the bottom of the rumen bag of ruminants, in particular bovine animals, intended to continuously measure the pH and redox potential of rumen contents with wireless data transfer to a central computer via an antenna led through the rumen cannula lid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ruminant rumen microorganisms require a strictly anaerobic environment to function. Anaerobicity of the environment can be characterized by the value of rumen liquid redox potential, while the redox potential of the rumen environment in relation to the microorganisms present is best quantified by the Clark exponent rH, which associates the pH and redox potential parameters based on the Nemst equation (Marounek et al. ). Changes in redox potential The rH parameters of rumen fluids are influenced by the composition of the ration and the health of the animals, as published, for example, in Mishra et al. (1970) and Marounek et al. (1987). The need for measuring the redox potential of the rumen environment gradually increases with the introduction of dietary supplements that may affect this parameter, for example, yeast (Mathieu et al., 1996; Marden et al., 2008). Redox potential changes throughout the day are required to properly assess the effect of the feed supplement. Obtaining this data by conventional means is very laborious and expensive.

The rumen pH of ruminants is important for monitoring animal health, particularly in relation to subclinical and clinical acidosis. For accurate evaluation of the acid state, records of pH changes throughout the day are required. Obtaining this data by conventional means is very laborious and expensive.

Possible ways of measuring the pH and redox potential of rumen content can be divided into two basic methods, outside the animal (1) and inside the rumen (2).

1. In the first case, the pH is measured with a laboratory pH meter and the redox potential of the rumen fluid collected from the rumen using a esophagus probe or in the case of cannulated animals via a rumen cannula using a large-capacity syringe or pump is measured with a laboratory mV-meter. When taking an oesophageal probe, it is necessary to fix the animal well, which requires the cooperation of a larger number of nurses, and there is also a higher risk of injury due to animal restlessness. This procedure cannot be used to capture all-day changes in rumen fluid parameters (pH, redox potential, etc.), because only a limited number of samples can be taken during the day due to high labor intensity. Another drawback of this method is the change in rumen fluid parameters due to air contact, which may affect the measured pH and redox potential values (Dado and Allen, 1993; Marden et al., 2005). Both problems, measurement intervals, and air contact are partially addressed by the method published by Corley et al. (1999) and Marden et al. (2005). In this procedure, the rumen fluid is continuously sucked through a weight-fixed filter at the bottom of the rumen vent bag by means of a pump located outside the animal, and through a tube passing through the rumen cannula lid is routed to a measuring cell separated from the external environment. This method can generally be expected to be more unreliable due to the increased likelihood of system clogging.

2. In the latter case, the pH parameter is measured inside the rumen, whereby the signal from the pH sensor can be transmitted to conductors outside the animal by means of conductors or the collection device is placed together with the pH sensor in a bolus fixed at the bottom of the rumen; the data is transferred to the computer in the file after the measurement. This method of continuous pH measurement and its modifications are the most commonly used and have been published in several works. A device with processing and data collection outside the animal has been patented (US 2002/0156356 A1, Mehrotra V. P., October 24, 2002). The use of similar devices has been published by Dado and Allen (1993), Nocek et al.

1 CZ 27886 U1 (2002) and AlZahal et al. (2007). Continuous measurement of the redox potential using a sensor placed inside the rumen has not been published, unlike a commonly measured pH parameter. DASCOR (Canada), which manufactures rumen pH and temperature measurement equipment, also offers a modification to measure the redox potential. In this type of device, the data acquisition and storage device is placed together with a redox sensor in a bolus fixed at the bottom of the rumen, the data being transferred to a computer in a file after the measurement. With this configuration, the functionality of the device cannot be continuously checked without removing it from the rumen and transferring data to the computer.

The device that is able to wirelessly transmit the processed data to the central computer enables to eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks. New technologies have allowed the size of these devices to be reduced, allowing them to be applied to the rumen orally. A general problem with these devices is the high signal attenuation when passing through body fluids, especially at higher frequencies. This requires a retransmitter in the vicinity of an animal that is normally placed on the neck in the form of a registration plate. A number of devices of this type have been published which allow to measure a number of parameters (temperature, pH, pressure) but not the redox potential. One type of this device has been disclosed in an article by Gasteiner et al. (2008). Various modifications to this method of continuously sensing rumen parameters (pH, temperature, pressure) with wireless data transmission have been published in patents (US 2004/0133131 Al, Kuhn et al., Jul 8, 2004), (US 7,062, 308 B1, Jackson WJ, 13/06/2006), (WO 01/013712 A1, Verstege ABM et al., 1 March 2001), (WO 02/073194 A2, Van Over JE, 19 September 2002). Measurement of redox potential separately was solved within the utility model (CZ 19728 Ul, Richter M. et al.). The last two solutions did not allow parallel measurement of both parameters (pH and redox potential).

The essence of the technical solution

The above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated by a device for continuous measurement of pH and redox potential in rumen of ruminants, according to a technical solution, which consists in that it allows simultaneous measurement of pH and redox potential and consists of a probe inserted through the rumen cannula on the rumen bottom. wherein the probe is subsequently attached to the rumen cannula lid by means of an antenna cable. The probe consists of a tube which forms a hermetically sealed housing, with two openings in the lower lid of the tube with cable glands for the passage of the combined glass electrode with the gel reference electrode and the platinum electrode. The lower lid of the pipe is integral with the protective flange, the protective flange being provided with holes and secured to the pipe by means of a thread. An additional ring-shaped weight is attached to the rim through the openings by means of tightening straps. The tube, bottom lid with skirt and additional weight, made of the same material, acts as a weight that stabilizes the probe at the bottom of the rumen. In the upper tube lid there is a cable gland for the passage of the antenna cable that protrudes above the tube, extends above the surface of the animal to be examined through the rumen cannula cover, and a carabiner is attached externally to the antenna cable to secure the probe to the rumen cannula cover. The stainless steel probe contains two modules, an electrical source and a silica gel bag. The measurement results transmitted from the probe antenna are sensed by the receiving antenna, which is connected to the central computer via the interface and USB port and allows the wireless transmission of the measurement results from at least one animal to the computer.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that the pH measuring electrode is formed by a glass electrode with a gel reference electrode.

The device according to the invention is also characterized in that the measuring redox electrode is a platinum electrode.

The device according to the invention is further characterized in that the tube and the lower lid are made of stainless steel or possibly another suitable inert material.

The device according to the invention is further characterized in that one module is a signal amplifier from the measuring electrodes.

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The device according to the invention is also characterized in that the second module is composed of a microprocessor with control software and a transmitter.

The device according to the invention is further characterized in that the receiving antenna, interface and USB port are arranged in a central computer for simultaneous processing of the signal from more than one probe and thus for simultaneous monitoring of several animals.

The device according to the invention is part of a system that ensures simultaneous continuous measurement of pH and redox potential values in rumen fluid and its wireless transmission from the animal's surface via a receiving antenna to a central computer located in an adjacent laboratory. The device was used by the inventor of the technical solution to measure the pH and redox potential of rumen fluids, which are conclusive data on the health status of the monitored animals. Use is foreseen in ruminants equipped with a rumen cannula. Measurement of these parameters is carried out continuously at selectable time intervals and the measured animal is not bothered in any way, because it can well tolerate the rumen cannula and its implementation is performed surgically with local anesthetic of the abdominal wall.

Transmission and reception of the signal is as follows: The receiving antenna is connected to the central computer via the interface and USB port. The control software can be used for an unlimited number of measuring probes used simultaneously, ie several animals.

The device according to the invention consists of a tube, in particular of stainless steel or other acceptable inert material, which forms a probe hermetically sealed from both sides. The upper lid is welded to the upper part of the pipe, the lower part of the pipe is threaded, by means of which the lower lid with the protective rim is attached. The lower lid and the skirt form a unit. The skirt is provided with several large openings for good contact of the rumen fluid with the measuring electrodes. The inventors have found it useful when the protective rim was approximately 4.5 cm long, the apertures had a diameter of approximately 3.5 cm x 3 cm. In the lower lid there are two openings provided with a cable gland through which a glass electrode with a gel reference electrode for pH measurement passes and a platinum electrode for measuring the redox potential of the rumen fluid. An additional ring-shaped weight made of stainless steel is attached through the holes in the rim to increase the stability of the device at the bottom of the rumen.

In the upper lid of the tube is located a cable gland through which the antenna cable with a diameter of about 5 mm, which protrudes above the upper edge of the tube approximately 1 m and serves as a transmitting antenna. At a height of approximately 40 cm above the upper edge of the tube, a carabiner is mounted on the antenna surface of the animal to be examined, which serves externally to fix the probe to the rumen cannula lid. The top 10 cm of antenna cable is shielded to ensure the transmission function. The cannula lid is part of the rumen cannula, inserted into the abdominal wall and freely accessible from the outside.

Inside the probe there is an electronic part consisting of two modules and a power supply. The first module is an approximately 2 x 7 cm amplifier that amplifies the signal from the measuring electrodes. The second module of approximately 1 x 2 cm is composed of a microprocessor and a transmitter. The microprocessor is equipped with control software, which is part of the data processing and signal transmission system. The probe also has a porous silica gel bag that provides a dry environment for the electronics.

Operation of the device according to the technical solution is easy, the obtained measurement results were very accurate and the animals were well tolerated and calm. After a small modification, especially the evaluation system, the new equipment according to the technical solution can be used for the examination of other species of ruminant animals. The rumen probe can easily be inserted into the bottom of the ventral rumen bag through the rumen cannula after removal of the cannula lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 shows a side view of an end portion of the device according to the invention, i.e. a probe. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the probe; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the probe;

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the entire animal observation with transmission and recording of measured values.

The following examples of embodiments of the device according to the invention only illustrate without limiting it.

Examples of technical solution

Example 1

The examined animal 22 - a lactating dairy cow weighing 600 kg and 4 years old - was subjected to local anesthesia to operate the rumen cannula 23 into the abdominal wall of the rumen so that the lid of the cannula 24 is freely accessible from the outside of the animal 22. . The measuring probe 17 is inserted into the ventral rumen bag via the rumen cannula 23 after removal of the cannula cap 24. The intermediate probe 17 consists of a stainless steel tube I 20 cm long and 8 cm in diameter, forming the probe 17 hermetically sealed from both sides. Bottom lid 2 with skirt 3 is screwed through thread 6 onto pipe I using seal 5. On said bottom skirt 2 with skirt 3 are two holes provided with cable glands 7 through which the glass electrode with the gel reference electrode 8 for pH measurement passes and a platinum electrode 9 for measuring pH values. The protective rim 3 is provided with 4 large openings 4 for good contact of the rumen fluid with the electrodes 8 and 9. The protective rim 3 has a length of approximately 4.5 cm, the openings 4 have a diameter of approximately 3.5 cm x 3 cm and can be oval or round . An additional annular weight 25 made of stainless steel is fastened through the apertures 4 in the rim to increase the stability of the device at the bottom of the rumen.

In the upper welded lid 10 of the tube I is located a cable gland 11 through which the cable of the transmitting antenna 12 of about 5 mm diameter extends above the upper edge of the tube I approximately 1 m and fulfills the function of the transmitting antenna. It is led above the surface of the animal to be examined 22 and placed on the lid 24 of the cannula 23 on the abdominal wall of the animal 22. At a height of approximately 40 cm above the upper edge of the tube 1, a carabiner 18 is fastened externally to the transmit antenna cable. 24 of the rumen cannula 23. The top 10 cm of the transmit antenna cable 12 is shielded to provide a transmit function.

Inside the probe 17 is located an electronic part consisting of a module 13, a module 14 and a power source 15 that best forms an accumulator. The module 13 is an approximately 2 x 7 cm amplifier that amplifies the signal from the measuring electrodes 8 and 9. The 1 x 2 cm module 14 is comprised of a microprocessor and a transmitter. The microprocessor is equipped with control software, which is part of the signal transmission system. Further, the probe 17 is provided with a silica gel bag 16 that provides a dry environment for the electronics function. The rumen fluid measurement results are transmitted wirelessly from the rumen bag of the animal 22 via a transmit antenna cable 12 to a receive antenna 19 to a central computer 21 located in an adjacent laboratory, via interface 20 and a USB port. The control software can be used for an unlimited number of measuring probes 17 used, so that several probes 17 can be connected to the central computer 21 simultaneously to investigate several animals 22.

The device according to the technical solution was successfully verified by the inventor in practice at the applicant's workplace, which is Agrovýzkum Rapotín s.r.o., CZ.

Industrial applicability

The new device allows simple continuous simultaneous measurement of pH and redox potential in rumen of ruminants, even over a longer period, which the animal tolerates well and is at rest.

Literature review

AlZahal O., Rustomo B., Odongo N. E., Duffield T. F., McBride B. W. 2007. Technical note: A system for continuous recording of ruminal pH in cattle. J. Anim Sci., 85: 213.

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Corley R. N., Murphy M. R., Lucena J., Panno S. V. 1999. Technical note: a device for obtaining time-integrated samples of ruminal fluid. J. Anim Sci., 77: 2540-2544.

Dado R.G. and Allen M.S. 1994. Variation and relationships among feeding, chewing, and drinking variables for lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci., 77: 132.

Gasteiner J., Fallast M., Rosenkranz S., Hausler J., Schneider K., Schwab M., Marden. J.P., Julien C., Monteils V. et al. (2008): How does live yeast differ from sodium bicarbonate to stabilize ruminal pH and hihg-yielding dairy cows ?. J. Dairy Sci., 2008, 91, 3528-3535. ISSN 00220302.

Marounek M., Roubal P., Bartos S. (1987): The redox potential, rH and pH values in the gastrointestinal tract of laughing ruminants. Physiol. Bohemoslov., 1987, 36, 71-74. ISSN 0014-1291.

Mathieu F., Jouany J.P., Senaud. J., et al. (1996): The effect of Saccharomyces cerevisae and Aspergillus oryzae on fermentations in rumen faunated and defaunaned sheep, protozoal and probiotic interactions. Reprod. Nutr. Dev.

Mishra M., Martz F. A., Stanley R. W., Johnson H. D., Campbell J. R., Hilderbrand E. 1970. Effect of Diet and Ambient Temperature-Humidity on Ruminal Ph, Oxidation Reduction Potential, Ammonia and Lactic Acid in Lactating Cows. J. Anim Sci., 30: 1023-1028.

Nocek JE, Allman JG, Kautz W.P. 2002. Evaluation of Indwelling Ruminal Probe Methodology and Effect of Grain Level on Diumal pH Variation in Dairy Cattle. J. Dairy Sci., 85: 422.

Claims (6)

PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS An apparatus for continuously measuring pH and redox potential in ruminant ruminants, characterized in that it permits simultaneous measurement of pH and redox potential and comprises a measuring probe (17) mounted on the rumen cannula (23), wherein the probe consists of stainless steel tubes (1) hermetically sealed on both sides with two lids (2, 10), the lower lid (2) being connected to the rim (3), to which an additional weight (25) is attached by means of tightening straps (26), bushings (7) for the passage of a glass electrode with a gel reference electrode (8) and a platinum electrode (9), wherein in the upper attached cover (10) of the tube (1) there is a cable bushing (11) for the cable it protrudes above the tube (1), is mounted on the lid (24) of the cannula (23) located in the abdominal wall of the animal (22), extends above the surface of the animal (22) being watched and externally attached thereto arabina (18) for external securing the probe (17) to the rumen cannula cover (23) and inside the probe (17) is located an electrode signal amplifier module (13) (8 and 9) and a microprocessor-emitting module (14) a member, an electrical source (15), and a silica gel bag (16), the signal from the probe (17) being received by an antenna (19) connected via an interface (20) and a USB port of the central computer (21) one animal (22). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a glass electrode with a gel reference electrode (8) and a platinum electrode (9) is used for the measurement. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the tube (1), the upper lid (10), the lower lid (2), the protective rim (3) and the additional weight (25) are made of stainless steel or other inert material. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the module (13) is a signal amplifier of two or more measuring electrodes (8 and 9) and which uses one gel reference electrode which is part of the glass electrode (8) for all measuring electrodes. . -5GB 27886 Ul Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the module (14) is composed of a microprocessor with control software and a transmitter. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a receiving antenna (19), an interface (20) and a USB port in a central computer (21) for simultaneous signal processing 5 of more than one probe (17) and thus for simultaneous observation of several animals (22).