Colonic motility in domestic turkeys.

This study was performed to determine (1) if electrical slow waves could be recorded from the colon of turkeys, and (2) how ingesta moves into and through the colon despite colonic antiperistalsis. Electrical activity and contractile forces were monitored via implanted bipolar electrodes and strain gage transducers (SGT), respectively. Two types of slow waves, small (sSW) and large (lSW) were recorded simultaneously. The former were correlated with antiperistaltic contractions observed radiographically and with small contractions recorded with SGT, the latter were correlated with large contractions recorded via SGT. The sSW had higher frequencies distally than proximally while the frequency gradient for the lSW was just the opposite. The sSWs were believed to be involved in regulation of antiperistalsis while the lSW were believed to be involved in regulation of the large contractions which, on the basis of the lSW frequency gradient, appeared to be peristaltic and to be primarily responsible for aborad movement of colonic digesta. The small contractions were believed to be responsible for reflux of urine from the cloaca into the colon and ceca and for cecal filling.