Original article

Influence of Ileo-Caecal Cannulation and Oxytetracycline on Ileo-Caecal and Rectal Coliform Populations in Pigs

A Högberg¹, JE Lindberg¹ and P Wallgren^2,3

¹  Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Uppsala, Sweden

²  Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

³  National Veterinary Institute, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

corresponding author email

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2001, 42:435-440doi:10.1186/1751-0147-42-435

Published:	31 December 2001

Abstract

The effect of surgery (insertion of an ileo-caecal cannula) and a subsequent parenteral treatment with oxytetracycline on the ileo-caecal and rectal coliform populations in 7 Swedish Yorkshire castrates were studied. Samples were collected during surgery as well as 3, 7, 14 and 20 days post surgery. The diversity of the enteric coliform flora was initially high both in the ileo-caecal ostium and in rectum. No alteration in the diversity of the enteric coliform flora was observed following surgery and treatment with oxytetracycline. As the insertion of ileo-caecal cannulas did not affect the intestinal coliform flora this study gives support to the use of this technique to mirror processes in the small intestine of pigs. Further, the diversity of the enteric coliform flora was unaffected by the parenteral treatment with oxytetracycline.