Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication

The African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse) is a wild rodent in sub-Saharan Africa widely hunted as popular meat delicacy. Domestication of this rat has been poor, probably due to nutrition among other factors. Developmental studies of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum as well as investig...

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Main Authors: Samuel Gbadebo Olukole, Olatunji-Akioye Adenike Olusola, Oluwaseyi Oyeniyi Owolabi, Oke Bankole Olusiji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hasan Eleroğlu 2020-08-01
Series:Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/3377
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author Samuel Gbadebo Olukole
Olatunji-Akioye Adenike Olusola
Oluwaseyi Oyeniyi Owolabi
Oke Bankole Olusiji
author_facet Samuel Gbadebo Olukole
Olatunji-Akioye Adenike Olusola
Oluwaseyi Oyeniyi Owolabi
Oke Bankole Olusiji
author_sort Samuel Gbadebo Olukole
collection DOAJ
description The African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse) is a wild rodent in sub-Saharan Africa widely hunted as popular meat delicacy. Domestication of this rat has been poor, probably due to nutrition among other factors. Developmental studies of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum as well as investigations of diet-based structural modifications of the small intestine were carried out in the rats using neonates, juveniles and adults with the aim of providing useful research information which could lead to improved domestication. The mean body weights of the animals were 39.67±1.45 g, 225.00±25.00 g and 742.90±62.13 g, respectively for the neonate, juvenile and adult rats. Significant differences were also observed in the villus height, villus width and crypt depth between the neonates and juveniles, unlike between juvenile and adult rats. These changes in intestinal morphology between the neonate and juvenile rats could be a measure of the neonates’ adaptation to shifts from digestion of maternal milk to the consumption of solid and semisolid forages. Respectively for neonates, juvenile and adult rats, 188%, 228% and 30% increases in villus height for the duodenum, jejunum and ileum respectively, were observed. This is suggestive of larger surface area of the small intestine for digestion and absorption. This study elucidates the structural modifications of the small intestine which can be applied to dietary modifications in response to age in an effort to achieve a more successful domestication of the animal.
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publishDate 2020-08-01
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series Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology
spelling doaj-art-c8c2487b3f1e4450b67350bbcbf6dda32025-08-20T03:24:08ZengHasan EleroğluTurkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology2148-127X2020-08-01881630163510.24925/turjaf.v8i8.1630-1635.33771716Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved DomesticationSamuel Gbadebo Olukole0Olatunji-Akioye Adenike Olusola1Oluwaseyi Oyeniyi Owolabi2Oke Bankole Olusiji3Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of IbadanDepartment of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of IbadanDepartment of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of IbadanDepartment of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of IbadanThe African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse) is a wild rodent in sub-Saharan Africa widely hunted as popular meat delicacy. Domestication of this rat has been poor, probably due to nutrition among other factors. Developmental studies of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum as well as investigations of diet-based structural modifications of the small intestine were carried out in the rats using neonates, juveniles and adults with the aim of providing useful research information which could lead to improved domestication. The mean body weights of the animals were 39.67±1.45 g, 225.00±25.00 g and 742.90±62.13 g, respectively for the neonate, juvenile and adult rats. Significant differences were also observed in the villus height, villus width and crypt depth between the neonates and juveniles, unlike between juvenile and adult rats. These changes in intestinal morphology between the neonate and juvenile rats could be a measure of the neonates’ adaptation to shifts from digestion of maternal milk to the consumption of solid and semisolid forages. Respectively for neonates, juvenile and adult rats, 188%, 228% and 30% increases in villus height for the duodenum, jejunum and ileum respectively, were observed. This is suggestive of larger surface area of the small intestine for digestion and absorption. This study elucidates the structural modifications of the small intestine which can be applied to dietary modifications in response to age in an effort to achieve a more successful domestication of the animal.http://www.agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/3377adultjuvenilemorphologyneonateintestine
spellingShingle Samuel Gbadebo Olukole
Olatunji-Akioye Adenike Olusola
Oluwaseyi Oyeniyi Owolabi
Oke Bankole Olusiji
Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication
Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology
adult
juvenile
morphology
neonate
intestine
title Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication
title_full Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication
title_fullStr Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication
title_full_unstemmed Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication
title_short Structural Modifications of the Small Intestine of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse): Implications for Dietary demands and Improved Domestication
title_sort structural modifications of the small intestine of the african giant rat cricetomys gambianus waterhouse implications for dietary demands and improved domestication
topic adult
juvenile
morphology
neonate
intestine
url http://www.agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/3377
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AT olatunjiakioyeadenikeolusola structuralmodificationsofthesmallintestineoftheafricangiantratcricetomysgambianuswaterhouseimplicationsfordietarydemandsandimproveddomestication
AT oluwaseyioyeniyiowolabi structuralmodificationsofthesmallintestineoftheafricangiantratcricetomysgambianuswaterhouseimplicationsfordietarydemandsandimproveddomestication
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