Re: Probiotics Question

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Danielle McNeil danielle_mcneil@yahoo.com
Thanks for the replies Dr. Smith and Susan, but a few things still
"bug" me (no pun intended :-)).  Could you clarify, pleeeaaasee???

I picked up an anatomy and physiology book at the library recommended
by my Animal Science instructor (Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals,
by RD Frandson DVM,MS and TL Spurgeon, Ph.D., 5th edition).  Anyway, the
the book states that the stomach pH is about 1.3 to 5 (I know, wide range)
but it needs to be acidic enough to split the enzyme precursor pepsinogen
into pepsin.  From Susan's webpage, it seems that just a small drop in cecal
pH kills certain species of microflora.  They can survive the stomach's pH?

Also, the book mentions that although the stomach of carnivores will empty in
a couple of hours, the stomach of a horse and pig requires 24 hours to empty
if the animal has eaten a large meal (the stomach is full).  That's a lot of
time to sit around in an acid bath (eww).

If you'll indulge my persistant pestering (:-D), how do the probiotics survive
in such a hostile environment?  Eventually, the feed material from the stomach
gets nuetralized in the small intestine by pancreatic secretions
(like sodium bicarbonate) and bile, so I would assume, although
maybe incorrectly, that the cecum has a higher pH than the stomach.  Or, do the
resident microbes keep the cecum at a lower pH because of their acidic byproducts
of fermentation?

Okay, I'm stumped :-).  Help???

Thanks,

Danielle (struggling ASCI student suffering though a mindless summer vacation, LOL)



Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-Ý-