In vitro rumen content stirrer
The collapsible rumen content stirrer addresses the unnatural mixing issues of existing methods by using a plastic and stainless steel design with Teflon coating to create a triangular shape within the fermenter, ensuring gentle rotation and mimicking natural rumen contractions, thereby improving the accuracy of rumen digestibility measurements.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/SK2023/000006
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-12
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-19
AI Technical Summary
Current in vitro rumen fermentation methods using magnetic stirrers and vibrating laboratory shakers impose unnatural mechanical stress on rumen microorganisms and fail to effectively mix the bottom and top layers of rumen contents, deviating from natural rumen conditions.
A collapsible rumen content stirrer composed of plastic and stainless magnetic steel parts, with a Teflon coating, that forms a triangular shape within the fermenter, rotating smoothly around a central axis to mimic natural rumen contractions, ensuring gentle mixing of layers.
This solution maintains conditions analogous to natural rumen contractions, reducing mechanical stress on microorganisms and improving layer mixing, thus enhancing the accuracy of laboratory digestibility measurements.
Smart Images
Figure SK2023000006_19122024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0002] IN VITRO RUMEN CONTENT STIRRER
[0003] Field of technology
[0004] Laboratory measurement of the digestibility of feeds and their fractions in solutions with the rumen contents of ruminants (“in vitro” measurement method) Current starte of the art
[0005] The rumen is a continuous fermenter in which, at regular intervals, the contents are evenly and gently mixed vertically by smooth peristaltic contractions. The mixing of the bottom layers with the top layers is a very important moment In the rumen fermentation of feeds, because the pH value of the bottom and top layers differs significantly.
[0006] Conditions should be maintained as closely as possible during measurement under laboratory conditions to the conditions in the native rumen. Fermenters are therefore placed in a water bath to maintain a uniform temperature, Fermenters (bottles) must, be tightly closed to maintain anaerobic conditions. It also requires the simultaneous measurement of the volume of gases produced, which are an indicator of the progress of digestion. Two principles for in vitro fermentation under laboratory conditions are used and are derived from magnetic stirrers (see FISHER) vibrating laboratory shakers (see ANKOM JULABO)
[0007] Magnetic stirrers exert an unnatural, intense mechanical effect on the population of rumen microorganisms. When using the principles of shakers, an analogous problem arises, whereby the mixing of the surface and bottom layers is additionally problematic.
[0008] Essence of the invention
[0009] The collapsible IN VITRO RUMEN CONTENTS STIRRER (further: the stirrer) consists of three fiat rectangular shapes connected by movable joints into a single unit (Fig. 1; 1) which facilitates easy and simple insertion or removal of the stirrer from the fermenter (Fig. 1 ; 2 and 3). The first and third parts of the stirrer are made of plastics (Fig. 1; 12) and the middle part is made of stainless magnetic steel (Fig. 1; 11), which can also be covered with a layer of inert Teflon, The dimensions of the individual parts of the stirrer are adapted to the dimensions of the fermenter in use, in principle to the diameter of its neck.
[0010] The stirrer is folded into the appropriate shape and placed in the fermenter (Fig. 1; 1 to 7). The stirrer in the final position creates a triangular shape in the fermenter (Fig. 1; 6 and 7). By slow, smooth and regular rotation around the vertical central axis of the fermenter, it creates a gentle and natural mixing between the lower and upper layers in the solution of the rumen contents. In this way, conditions are created that are most analogous to the natural contractions of the rumen itself, which represents a fundamental difference when compared to the systems described above and Is a fundamental advantage of this solution.
[0011] The rotation of the stirrer is ensured by two magnets on the arm (Fig. 1; 13), distanced from each other in the range of the length Of the middle part of the stirrer. The arm is connected to the source of mechanical movement (Fig. 1; 14) so that the magnets on the arm rotate around the circular circumference and thereby, due to their magnetic effect, cause the stirrer to rotate.
[0012] Plastic is the most suitable material for the construction of the water bath in which the fermenters are placed so that other parts of the equipment do not interfere with the magnetic part.
Claims
Overview of images on drawingsAnnex 1: Graphical representation of the construction and use of the stirrerExample of implementation of the inventionAnnex 2 - Photo documentationReferences ANKOM JULABO https: / / www.ankom.com / product-catalog / shaker-water-bath-115v-60hz https: / / www.ankom.com / sltes / default / files / document-files / JULABO SW22 9550322 info Sheet.pdfFISHER https: / / www.fisherww.sk / index.pho / view / category / virtue.mart category id / 114Patent claimsThe IN VITRO RUMEN CONTENTS STIRRER consisting of three parts connected by a movable joint is characterised by the fact that its construction and shape allow it to dynamically change its shape so that it can be inserted into a fermenter (bottle) even through a narrow neck, where it creates a triangular shape ensuring gentle and natural mixing of rumen contents or other solutions.