Influence of the load of nylon capsules on their passage through the digestive tract and specific gravity.

The passage and specific gravity of nylon capsules were evaluated in five trials. In individual trials, different lactating cows were fed the same diet consisting of maize silage, alfalfa hay and concentrate. In each trial the different feeds (or no feed) were used to fill the capsules. The capsules were made of nylon cloth (42 microm pore size, 10 mm external diameter). The different weights of the load (L1-L5) were obtained using a combination of 2 and 3 mm stainless steel balls. The highest recovery of the capsules was obtained with the L3 and L4 loads (91.4 and 92.3%, resp.). After 14 hours of incubation in the rumen, the calculated values of functional specific gravity of the capsules ranged from 0.92 to 2.05 g x cm(-3). It was concluded that L3 (one 2 mm and one 3 mm ball) was the suitable weight of the load.