scholarly journals Subacute Ruminal Acidosis in Zebu Cattle: Clinical and Behavioral Aspects

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Natalia Sato Minami ◽  
Rejane Santos Sousa ◽  
Francisco Leonardo Costa Oliveira ◽  
Mailson Rennan Borges Dias ◽  
Débora Aparecida Cassiano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behavior ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Clinical Aspects ◽  
Zebu Cattle ◽  
Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Citrus Pulp ◽  
Lactic Acids

We evaluated the clinical aspects and feeding behavior of cattle with subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) caused by short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Ten healthy Nelore heifers were subjected to an adjusted SARA induction protocol using citrus pulp (CP). Clinical examinations were performed at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 h intervals after induction, with ruminal fluid, blood, and feces sampling. The animals’ feeding behavior was evaluated on, before, and for 3 days after SARA by observing the animals every 5 min for 24 h. The dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded daily. The ruminal pH during SARA was always lower than baseline, with an acidotic duration of 547 ± 215 min, a minimum pH of 5.38 ± 0.16, and an average pH of 5.62 ± 0.1. SARA was mainly caused by SCFAs (maximum 118.4 ± 9.3 mmol/L), with the production of l-lactic acids (7.17 mmol/L) and d-lactic acids (0.56 mmol/L) 6 h after the experiment began. The DMI was reduced by 66% and 48% on days 1 and 2, respectively, and returned to normal levels on day 3. SARA caused a reduction in feed intake and rumination time, as well as an increase in the time spent in decubitus on days 1 and 2. These results were influenced by the ruminal pH, ruminal movement, and osmolarity. Furthermore, SARA caused different degrees of depression, which became more pronounced with higher ruminal lactic acid concentrations.

Effect of subacute ruminal acidosis on milk fat concentration, yield and fatty acid profile of dairy cows receiving soybean oil

2010 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ousama AlZahal ◽  
Mamun M Or-Rashid ◽  
Sabrina L Greenwood ◽  
Brian W McBride
Keyword(s):  
Soybean Oil ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Milk Fat Depression ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
High Forage

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of ruminal infusion of soybean oil (SBO) with either a moderate- or high-forage diet on fat concentration, yield and composition in milk from dairy cows. Six rumen-fistulated Holstein dairy cows (639±51 kg body weight, 140±59 days in milk) were used in the study. Cows were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments, a high forage:concentrate (HFC, 74:26) or a moderate forage:concentrate (MFC, 56:44) total mixed ration. Cows were fed at 08.00 and 13.00 h and pulse-dosed ruminally at 13.00 h over a 10-min duration with 2% of diet dry matter of SBO. Ruminal pH was recorded continuously. Cows receiving the MFC treatment had lower daily mean ruminal pH and ruminal pH was below 6·0 for a longer duration compared with the HFC treatment (640 vs. 262 min/d,P<0·05). Cows receiving the MFC treatment had a greater reduction (diet by week interaction,P<0·05) in milk fat concentration and yield than cows receiving the HFC treatment (42 vs. 22% and 45 vs. 21%, respectively). Additionally, cows receiving the MFC diet had a greater reduction in milk fat concentration (g/100 g FA) of FA <C16 (14 vs. 8%), and a greater increase in concentration of FA >C16 (17 vs. 9%),trans-10 18:1 (159 vs. 21%) andtrans-9,cis-11 conjugated linoleic acid (121 vs. 55%) (P<0·05) compared with cows receiving the HFC diet. This study demonstrated that cows fed the MFC diet had lower ruminal pH and showed a greater rate of milk fat depression when infused with SBO.

Use of sodium bicarbonate, offered free choice or blended into the ration, to reduce the risk of ruminal acidosis in cattle

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura J Paton ◽  
Karen A Beauchemin ◽  
Douglas M Veira ◽  
Marina A. G. von Keyserlingk
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Bicarbonate ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Free Choice ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis

A study was conducted to determine whether feeding sodium bicarbonate (SB) reduces the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis in cattle fed high concentrate feedlot finishing diets. The experiment was conducted as a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with two squares and 2-wk periods. Three mature, non-lactating Holstein cows were allocated to square 1 and three mature Jersey steers were allocated to square 2. The cattle were ruminally cannulated and gradually adapted to a high concentrate diet before starting the experiment. The basal diet contained approximately 80% stream-rolled barley, on a dry matter (DM) basis, and was offered for ad libitum intake. Treatments were: control (no SB), control diet with cattle given free choice access to a SB mixture consisting of 70% SB and 30% dried molasses (free choice SB), and control diet supplemented with SB (7 g SB kg-1 DM; mixed SB). Ruminal pH was measured at the end of each 14-d period for 3 continuous days using an indwelling pH system. Dry matter intake (DMI) was not affected by treatment. However, SB intake depended upon type of cattle and method of provision (P = 0.04); cows had higher SB intake when it was mixed into the diet (57.8 vs. 17.4 g d-1), whereas steers had higher SB intake when SB was provided free choice (129.1 vs. 56.1 g d-1). Ruminal pH characteristics (mean, maximum, minimum, hours, and area under a threshold pH of 5.8 or 5.5) were not affected by treatment. Although neither method of delivering SB reduced the total time each day that pH was below the pH thresholds used to indicate subacute ruminal acidosis, the number of long (> 4 h) continuous bouts of acidosis (pH ≤ 5.8) was reduced (P = 0.01) when SB was mixed into the ration compared with the control. When offered free choice, intake of SB was highly variable among animals and from day-to-day and was inversely correlated to DMI. However, there was no correlation between SB intake and ruminal pH indicating that, when given the opportunity, cattle did not select SB to help prevent ruminal acidosis. Providing SB, either free choice or mixed into the ration, did not eliminate subacute ruminal acidosis in cattle fed high-grain diets. However, mixing SB into the ration reduced the number of long bouts of ruminal acidosis, which could potentially reduce the negative consequences of ruminal acidosis on feed digestion. Key words: Acidosis, beef cattle, high-grain diets, ruminal pH, sodium bicarbonate

scholarly journals Subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy cows - physiological background, risk factors and diagnostic methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-17
Author(s):  
Levente Kovács ◽  
Otto Szenci ◽  
Walter Baumgartner ◽  
Mátyás Hejel ◽  
László Rózsa
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Continuous Measurement ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
The United States ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Field Techniques ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis

According to the latest studies, the prevalence of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is around 20% in early and mid- lactation dairy cows, generating annual losses in the United States of approximately USD 500 million to 1 billion. The diagnosis of SARA is still difficult due to lack of pathognomonic clues and the delayed appearance of certain clinical signs. Therefore, SARA remains neglected or even unrecognized in many dairy herds. SARA is characterized by daily episodes of low ruminal pH, when the pH remains in the range of 5.2 to 6 for a prolonged period due to the accumulation of short-chain fatty acids and insufficient rumen buffering. The causes of SARA are related to high-grain diets, such as feeding excessive amounts of non-structural carbohydrates and highly fermentable forages, and insufficient dietary coarse fibre. SARA is associated with the inflammation of several organs and tissues in dairy cows, and its main long-term health and economic consequences are the fluctuation of feed intake, reduced fibre digestion, depression of milk yield and milk fat content, gastrointestinal damage, diarrhoea, laminitis, liver abscesses, and lameness. The aim of this review is to summarize the information available on the physiological aspects, risk factors, prevalence and possible indicators of SARA in dairy cattle. Basedon the existing literature, rumenocentesis and the use of an oral stomach tube are reliable field techniques to detect SARA. Nowadays, improved field techniques allowing the continuous measurement of reticuloruminal pH are also available for better diagnosis of SARA. Wireless indwelling pH probes may become important tools for the continuous measurement of ruminal pH in the coming years.

scholarly journals Optimum roughage proportion in barley-based feedlot cattle diets: growth performance, feeding behavior, and carcass traits

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M Koenig ◽  
Gwinyai E Chibisa ◽  
Gregory B Penner ◽  
Karen A Beauchemin
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behavior ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Carcass Traits ◽  
Barley Grain ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Experimental Unit ◽  
Finishing Diets ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Barley Silage

Abstract High grain diets are fed to finishing beef cattle to maximize animal performance in a cost-effective manner. However, a small amount of roughage is incorporated in finishing diets to help prevent ruminal acidosis, although few studies have examined optimum roughage inclusion level in barley-based diets. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of roughage proportion in barley-based finishing diets on growth performance, feeding behavior, and carcass traits of feedlot cattle. Crossbred beef steers (n = 160; mean body weight ± SD, 349.7 ± 21.4 kg) were allocated to 20 pens that were assigned randomly to four dietary treatments (five pens of eight steers per treatment). The treatment diets contained barley silage at 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12% of dietary dry matter (DM). The remainder of the diets (DM basis) consisted of 80%, 76%, 72%, and 68% barley grain, respectively, 15% corn dried distiller’s grains, 5% mineral and vitamin supplement, and 32 mg monensin/kg diet DM. The diets were fed as total mixed rations for ad libitum intake (minimum of 5% refusal) once per day. Cattle were weighed on 2 consecutive days at the start and end of the experiment and on 1 d every 3 wk throughout the experiment (124 d). Two pens for each treatment group were equipped with an electronic feeding system (GrowSafe Systems Ltd., Calgary, Alberta) to monitor feed intake and feeding behavior of individual cattle. The data for dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), gain:feed (G:F) ratio, and carcass traits were analyzed as a completely randomized design with fixed effect of barley silage proportion and pen replicate as experimental unit. Feeding behavior data were analyzed similarly, but with animal as experimental unit. Averaged over the study, DMI increased linearly (11.1, 11.3, 11.7, 11.8 kg/d; P = 0.001) as barley silage proportion increased from 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12% of DM, but ADG was not affected (carcass-adjusted,1.90, 1.85, 1.87, 1.89 kg/d; P ≥ 0.30). Consequently, G:F ratio decreased linearly (carcass-adjusted, 168.9, 163.8, 158.5, 160.6 g/kg DMI; P = 0.023). When averaged over the study, proportion of barley silage in the diet had no linear or quadratic effects (P &gt; 0.10) on meal frequency, duration of meals, intermeal duration, or meal size, but eating rate decreased linearly with increasing silage proportion (P = 0.008). There was no diet effect on liver abscesses (P ≥ 0.92), and effects on carcass characteristics were minor or nonexistent. We conclude that increasing the proportion of barley silage in a feedlot finishing diet at the expense of barley grain to minimize the incidence of ruminal acidosis may decrease feed conversion efficiency.

Effects of a moderate transition from 70 to 90% concentrate diet on early alterations in feeding behavior, rumen environment, reticulorumen motility, and blood acid-base status in beef heifers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Egert-McLean ◽  
Michael P. Sama ◽  
James L. Klotz ◽  
Kyle McLeod ◽  
Niels Bastian Kristensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behavior ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Eating Rate ◽  
Beef Heifers ◽  
Acid Base ◽  
Passage Rate ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Contraction Duration ◽  
Acid Base Status

The objective of this study was to determine the early responses to a moderate concentrate increase in the diet with regards to various behavioral and physiological responses in cattle. Eight ruminally-cannulated Angus crossbred beef heifers were adapted to a 70% concentrate diet (T70) and then switched to a 90% concentrate diet. Measurements of feeding behavior, ruminal pH and temperature, rumen motility, liquid passage rate, and blood acid-base status were conducted on T70 as well as first (d1 H90) and second (d2 H90) days of high-grain feeding to monitor the beginning of the transition period. Ruminal pH was below 5.6 for longer on both days of H90 compared to T70 and suggested animals experienced subacute ruminal acidosis while switching from T70 to H90. Transitioning did not affect dry matter intake (DMI). Eating rate during meals was reduced on d1 and d2 H90 compared to T70. Ruminal contraction amplitude was reduced on both days of H90 feeding. Contraction duration was reduced on d1 H90, and returned to T70 values by d2 H90. Results indicated that a moderate transition to a finishing diet influenced feeding behavior and reduced rumen motility at the beginning time after transition but did not influence voluntary DMI.

scholarly journals Starch-Rich Diet Induced Rumen Acidosis and Hindgut Dysbiosis in Dairy Cows of Different Lactations

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1727
Author(s):  
Viktoria Neubauer ◽  
Renee M. Petri ◽  
Elke Humer ◽  
Iris Kröger ◽  
Nicole Reisinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Rumen Acidosis ◽  
Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽  
Fecal Ph

Starch-rich diets can cause subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in dairy cows with potentially different susceptibility according to lactation number. We wanted to evaluate the bacterial community and the fermentation end products in feces to study susceptibility to hindgut acidosis and dysbiosis. Sixteen dairy cows received a medium-concentrate diet (MC, 40% concentrate, 18.8% starch) for one week and a high-concentrate diet (HC, 60% concentrate, 27.7% starch, DM) for four weeks. Milk yield, dry-matter intake, chewing activity, ruminal pH, milk constituents, and fecal samples for short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), pH, and 16S rRNA-gene sequencing were investigated. The HC feeding caused a reduction in fecal pH, bacterial diversity and richness, an increase in total SCFA, and a separate phylogenetic clustering of MC and HC samples. Ruminal and fecal pH had fair correlation (r = 0.5). Cows in the second lactation (2ndL) had lower dry matter intake (DMI) than cows of third or fourth or more lactations (3rdL; ≥4 L), whereas DMI/kg body weight was lower for ≥4 L than for 2ndL and 3rdL cows. The mean ruminal pH was highest in ≥4 L, whereas the time spent below the SARA threshold was highest for 3rdL cows. The latter also had higher total SCFA in the feces. Our results suggest that hindgut dysbiosis is caused by increased substrate flow to the hindgut, but further investigations are needed to define hindgut acidosis. The 3rdL cows were most susceptible to rumen acidosis and hindgut dysbiosis due to high DMI level, but missing counter regulations, as suggested happening in 2ndL and ≥4 L cows.

scholarly journals Effects of a bacterial probiotic on ruminal pH and volatile fatty acids during subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in cattle

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (10) ◽  
pp. 1595-1600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroko GOTO ◽  
Abdul Qadir QADIS ◽  
Yo-Han KIM ◽  
Kentaro IKUTA ◽  
Toshihiro ICHIJO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis

Impact of severity of ruminal acidosis on feed-sorting behaviour of beef cattle

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1238 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. DeVries ◽  
T. Schwaiger ◽  
K. A. Beauchemin ◽  
G. B. Penner
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Particle Size Analysis ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Size Analysis ◽  
Base Period ◽  
Ruminal Ph ◽  
Ruminal Acidosis ◽  
Particle Separator ◽  
Angus Heifers

The objective of this study was to determine how feed sorting changes in response to the severity of an induced episode of acute ruminal acidosis. Sixteen Angus heifers (261 ± 6.1 kg; bodyweight (BW) ± s.e.m.) were adapted to a high-grain diet (9% forage) before a ruminal acidosis challenge. Ruminal acidosis was induced by restricting feed to 50% of dry matter intake (DMI) as a proportion of BW for 24 h, followed by an intra-ruminal infusion of ground barley at 10% of DMI as a proportion of BW. Ruminal pH and feed sorting were monitored for 8 days (Base) before the challenge and on the challenge (CH) day. Ruminal pH data (duration (min) and area above the curve (min × pH) of pH <5.5) were recorded using an indwelling measurement system. To assess feed sorting, feed and orts were sampled daily and subjected to particle-size analysis. The particle separator had three screens (19, 8, 1.18 mm) and a bottom pan, resulting in four fractions (long, medium, short, fine). Sorting (%) was calculated as the actual intake/predicted intake of each particle fraction. During the Base period and the CH day, heifers sorted for long, medium and short particles, and sorted against fine particles. During the Base period, heifers experienced ruminal pH <5.5 for 489 ± 73 min/day with an area of 154 ± 29 (pH × min)/day; on the CH day, the duration increased to 1020 ± 75 min/day with an area of 631 ± 102 (pH × min)/day. A greater change in duration of pH <5.5 was associated with a greater increase in sorting for long and medium particles. A greater change in the area of pH <5.5 was associated with a greater increase in sorting for long particles and against fine particles. Overall, results show that cattle that experienced a greater degree of acidosis partially coped by sorting their ration more to consume a greater proportion of long, fibrous particles.

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