Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the variations of some physiological parameters in dairy cows during subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA), a common important disorder of dairy cows that occurs in early lactation. pH changes in ruminal fluid collected by rumenocentesis were measured at ten farms stationed in different zones in the north of Italy. Additionally, the following parameters were measured: blood pH, faecal pH, urine pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide oxygen, partial pressure of oxygen, bicarbonate level, base excess of extracellular fluid and oxygen content. Herds were divided into two groups according to their average ruminal pH: group A included farms with average ruminal pH > 5.8 (normal) and group B farms with average ruminal pH < 5.8 (acidosis). Unpaired Student’s t test was used to reveal statistical significances between the two groups. Ruminal pH changes due to pathogenesis can be diagnostic for SARA.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- SARA:
-
subacute ruminal acidosis
- pCO2:
-
partial pressure of carbon dioxide oxygen
- pO2:
-
partial pressure of oxygen
- HCO3 − :
-
bicarbonate level
- Beecf :
-
base excess of extracellular fluid
- O2ct:
-
oxygen content
References
Bramley E, Lean IJ, Fulkerson WJ et al (2005) Clinical acidosis in a Gippsland dairy herd. Aust Vet J 83(6):347–352. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.2005.tb15629.x
Cooper R, Klopfenstein T (1996) Effect of rumensin and feed intake variation on ruminal pH. In scientific update on rumensin/tylan/micotil for the professional feedlot consultant. Elanco Animal Health, Indianapolis
Cooper SBD, Kyriazakis I, Oldham J (1996) The effects of physical form of feed, carbohydrate source, and inclusion of sodium bicarbonate on the diet selections of sheep. J Anim Sci 74:1240–1251
Cottee G, Kyriazakis I, Widowski TM et al (2004) The effects of subacute ruminal acidosis on sodium bicarbonate-supplemented water intake for lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 87:2248–2253
Dirksen G (1965) Rumen acidosis in cattle. Vet Med Rev Bayer 2:98–125
Dirksen G (1985) Der Pansenazidose-Komplex-neuere Erkenntnisse und Erfahrungen. Tierarztl Prax 13:501–512
Garrett EF, Perreira MN, Nordlund KV et al (1999) Diagnostic methods for the detection of subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 82:1170–1178
Garry FB (2002) Indigestion in ruminants. In: Smith BP (ed) Large animal internal medicine. 3rd edn. Mosby, St. Louis, pp 722–747
Gokce G, Citil M, Gunes V et al (2004) Effect of time delay and storage temperature on blood gas and acid–base values of bovine venous blood. Res Vet Sci 76:121–127. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2003.08.009
Gunes V, Atalan G (2005) Comparison of ventral coccygeal arterial and jugular venous blood samples for pH, pCO2, HCO3 −, Beecf and O2ct values in calves with pulmonary disease. Res Vet Sci 81(1):148–151. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2005.10.003
Keunen JE, Plaizier JC, Kyriazakis I et al (2003) Short communication: effects of subacute ruminal acidosis on free-choice intake of sodium bicarbonate in lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 86:954–957
Kleen JL, Hooije GA, Rehage J et al (2003) Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA): a review. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med 50(8):406–414. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0442.2003.00569.x
Krause KM, Oetzel GR (2005) Inducing subacute ruminal acidosis in lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 88:3633–3639
Nocek JE (1997) Bovine acidosis: implications of laminitis. J Dairy Sci 80:1005–1028
Nordlund KV, Garrett EF (1994) Rumenocentesis: a technique for collecting rumen fluid for the diagnosis of subacute rumen acidosis in diary herds. Bovine Prac 28:109–112
Oetzel GR (2000) Clinical aspects of ruminal acidosis in dairy cattle. In: Proceedings of the 33rd annual convention of the American Association of Bovine Practitioner, Rapid City, pp 46–53
Oetzel GR (2003) Subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy cattle. Adv Dairy Technol 15:307–317
Oetzel GR (2004) Monitoring and testing dairy herds for metabolic disease. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 20(3):651–674. doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2004.06.006
Piccione G, Caola G, Mortola JP (2004) Day/night pattern of arterial blood gases in the cow. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 140(1):33–41. doi:10.1016/j.resp.2003.11.008
Ramakrishnan R, Nazer M, Suthanthirarajan N et al (2003) An experimental analysis of the catecholamines in hyperglycemia and acidosis-induced rat brain. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 16(3):233–232
Rouche JR, Petch S, Kay JK (2005) Manipulating the dietary cation–anion difference via drenching to early-lactation dairy cows grazing pasture. J Dairy Sci 88:264–276
Tucker WB, Harrison GA, Hemken RW (1988) Influence of dietary cation–anion balance on milk, blood, urine, and rumen fluid in lactating dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 71(2):346–354
Underwood WJ (1992) Rumen lactic acidosis. Part I. Epidemiology and pathophysiology. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 14:1127–1133
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Morgante, M., Gianesella, M., Casella, S. et al. Blood gas analyses, ruminal and blood pH, urine and faecal pH in dairy cows during subacute ruminal acidosis. Comp Clin Pathol 18, 229–232 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-008-0793-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-008-0793-4