ANSC 460.3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Lipopolysaccharide, Hydrogenation, Bulk Tank
27 Jun 2018
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Rumen acidosis in Dairy Cows
• by definition it is not a metabolic disease but is a digestive upset
feeding high starch diets
•feeding more processed grains can be a problem as well
feeding high fermentable carbohydrates
• bacteria ferment CHO will produce VFA (increase)
• get rid of VFA by absorbing them into the blood stream
• these VFA are buffered by buffers in the saliva so that they do not reduce rumen pH as much
• increase in VFA will reduce optimum rumen pH and the bacteria will produce more S.bovis
well managed dairy cows will have some form of subacute rumen acidosis
• it is a cycled pattern
only when over feeding highly processed grain will you see ASRA
• more common in feed lot animals
Acute/clinical ruminal acidosis
-uncommon in dairy cows
-ruminal pH less than 5
ohave excessive production of lactate and VFA
oreduced absorptive capacity
ohave rumenitis, keratosis and lesions
-can get bacterial penetration which can cause liver abscesses
ohave translocation of bacteria into the blood stream this then can pass through the liver
and cause liver accesses
-metabolic acidosis and death
sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA)
-most common in dairy cows
-ruminal pH 5.5-5.6
oVFA accumulation but not lactate
-Insidious and covert signs
oLow intensity for short period of time
oNo immediate or overt signs
oIs a chronic condition
-Tremendous economic losses
-Reasons:
oDecreased efficiency of milk production
oImpaired cow health
Laminitis and lameness
This takes time to develop so seen when a cow has acidosis for a long time
oHigh rates of involuntary culling
When cows are sick they will have less milk yield and cows will have to be culled
because they are lame SO this cost money
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