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Twelve adult West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep of mean age and body weight of 18 ± 1.19 months and 14.69 ± 2 56 kg body weight respectively were used to study the compatibility of concurrent rumen fis ulation and duodenal cannulation with normal life. The compatibility with norma life was assessed by differences in body weight, voluntary feed intake, rectal temperature and some haematological and biochemical parameters for a period of eight weeks between test and contro groups. During the s udy period, all the six animals survived the surgery. There was no significant (p < 0.05) d fference in body weight between the test and control groups for the entire study period (week 1-8). The mean rectal temperature of the test group was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the control group on week 1(44.6 ± 3.15 0 C), week 2 (43.26 ± 4 14 0C) and week 3 (41.15 ± 6 62 0 C) after implantation. Packed cell volume (PCV) and erythrocyte count (EC) were significantly reduced in the test group within the f rst three weeks (33.19 ± 1 41 to 24.45 ± 1.39% and 7.01 ± 1 34 to 4 37 ± 1.58 x 10 6 µl) respectively. On the contrary, total leukocyte count (TLC), and neutrophils were significantly higher in the test group between weeks 1 to 3 (12.48 ± 4 35 and 31.09 ± 3.67 respect vely) compared to the control (8.06 ± 0.95 and 23.41 ± 2.09 respec vely. Lymphocytes were insignificantly higher in the test group while voluntary feed intake was insigni icantly reduced in the test group throughout the eight weeks. Biochemical analyses revealed that serum creatinine was signi cantly higher in the test group at week 1 (3.62 ± 1.18) and week 2 (3.08 ± 1.44) af er surgery. There was however, no significant difference in serum total proteins during the study period. Serum potassium concentrations were s gni icantly decreased in the test group at week 1 (4.96 ± 1.03 to 1.34 ± 0.04). Sod um was also sign cant y reduced (146.08 ± 3.78 to 96.03 ± 6.21) but on week 3 post imp antation (PI). On the other hand, serum globulin was significantly higher in the test group throughout the study period. Gross observations of incision sites showed adhesions characterized by coalesced tissue granulations. The study has shown that the use of polymetric materials in fabricating rumen fistulae and duodenal cannuale could pave way for increased routine nutritional studies in ruminants particularly in developing countries where the availability of these materials constitute great limitation to research involving rumen studies.

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