Acute and Subacute rumen acidosis and milk fat depression (not done)

What feed is preferred?

Total mixed ration (TMR)

What is a component fed?

Forage and grains/supplements fed separately with forage first then supplements

What is the risk of a component feed?

Greater opportunity for SARA and acidosis in those non-TMR feeding systems

What is the goal during lactation?

Optimize feed intake

Why do we push feed up?

Incentives dairy cattle to keep eating

What type of acidosis is more severe?

Acute

What are signs of acute acidosis?

Ataxia, recumbency, death

What are signs of subacute acidosis?

Liver abscess, laminitis, parakeratosis, poor growth, poor production

What acidosis type is more common?

Subacute

What is acute acidosis?

Sudden decrease in rumen pH <5

Uncompensated decrease in pH leading to systemic acidemia

How do you diagnose acute acidosis?

Easily sloughed rumen papillae with rumenitis

What is subacute rumen acidosis?

pH <5.5

Metabolic, compensated decrease in pH

What is the primary health risk of subacute rumen acidosis?

Chronic health problems

What is SARA?

Subacute rumen acidosis

What are signs of SARA in a herd?

Inconsistent daily feed intake (hard to detect in groups)

<50% cud chewing occurring

>10% with loose manure/diarrhea (foamy, long fiber present, mucin)

Lower than normal milk production

Rumen pH <5.5

Esopageal ulcerations

Cud dropping or vomiting

What is a possible sequelae to SARA (rare though)?

If epistaxis is present then vena caval syndrome

Sole hemorrhage

Sole ulcer

Pyelonephritis

Valvular endocarditis

What is a hardship groove?

Area on a hoof that indicates the animal previously where through a laminetic event

What are the 3 pathways to rumen acidosis?

1. Increased production of organic acids due to overconsumption of fermentable carbohydrates

2. Insufficient rumen buffering of organic acids

3. Impaired absorption of organic acids (rumenitis)

T/F saliva production is increased in response to low rumen pH?

False

What buffers the rumen normally?

Bicarb, phosphates, saliva, sodium, potassium

What is saliva production dependent on?

Amount of physically effective fiber in the diet

What is pe fiber?

Physically effective fiber that is chewed and contributes to rumen forage mat and eructed for cud-chewing

What is the best type of pe fiber?

Long straw diet

How do cows self-regulate rumen pH?

When acidotic will decrease dry matter intake to reduce acid production

Meal ingredient selection towards more pe fiber

How do you diagnose SARA?

Depressed herd dry matter intake

Decreased rumination

Free-choice her bicarbonate consumption

What is the gold standard for SARA diagonsis?

Rumenocentesis

Ororumenal probe

How do you do a rumencentesis?

Clip and scrub 6-8 inches behind last rib level with patella

Tail-up

Thrust needle through skin into rumen in one movement

Remove 1-2cc rumen fluid

Remove air from syringe and measure pH immediately

How do you measure pH after a rumenocentesis?

Cannot use pH paper due to dark fluid

Need a pH meter

How d