Rates of Gastric Emptying in Young Cod

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Abstract
Stomachs of young cod were opened at various time intervals after they had voluntarily eaten measured meals. More digested food left the stomach in the first few hours after the meal was given than towards the end of digestion. Instantaneous depletion rate increased rapidly with increase in acclimation temperature from 2 to 15 C. The rate was not increased at 19 C and was possibly depressed. Fish would not feed at 21 C. When meal size was varied, a straight-line relation was found between rate of gastric emptying and quantity of food in the stomach. This implies that in young cod intestinal absorption is coupled to food intake by regulation of the gastric volume. It is likely that digestion rate data could be used to estimate daily rations for fish in their own environment by measuring quantity of food in the stomach.

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