Sustained release delivery system

A device for the prolonged administration of a therapeutic, additive or nutrient substance into the reticulorumen of a ruminant, comprising:

• an elongated hollow body having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said body establishing fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of said body,
• said body made from a material which maintains its integrity in the reticulorumen environment;
• a plurality of partitions within said interior chamber and connected to or closely fitted against the interior walls of said body,
• said partitions made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment,
• said partitions dividing said interior chamber into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of the substance to be administered,
• said partitions arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the reticulorumen;
• and
• retaining means at the closed end of said body to retain the device within the reticulorumen of the ruminant.

A device for the prolonged administration of therapeutic, additive or nutrient substance in the reticulorumen of a ruminant, comprising

• an elongated hollow body having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said body establishing fluid communication between the interior and exterior of said body,
• said body being made from a material which maintains its integrity in the reticulorumen environment,
• a plurality of partitions within said interior chamber and connected to or closely fitted against the interior walls of said body,
• said partitions being made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment,
• said partitions dividing said interior chamber into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of a substance to be administered,
• spacers connected to or fitting closely against the interior walls of said body to keep the partitions apart,
• said partitions being arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the reticulorumen, and
• retaining means at the closed end of said body to retain the device within the reticulorumen of the ruminant.

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant comprising

• a body having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant,
• said body comprising a hollow interior and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and having an opening to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen,
• the interior comprising a serial array or stack of partitions,
• said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen when said body is introduced into the rumen and said opening of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates, and
• wherein said body is in the form of a cylinder having at least one open end, and
• wherein said partitions are made of cellulosic partitions disposed transversely within the interior of said body and connected to or closely fitting against the interior walls of said body,
• said partitions dividing said interior into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of the material useful for the growth or well-being of ruminant, and
• wherein spacers are provided connected to or fitting closely against the interior walls of said body to keep said partitions apart.

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant comprising:

• a body having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant,
• said body comprising a hollow interior and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and an opening to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen,
• the interior of said body comprising a serial array or stack of partitions,
• said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen into which said body is introduced and said opening of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates.