Rumen alkalosis

The rumen alkalosis is a metabolic disorder in ruminants, wherein the pH in the rumen , that is alkaline at 7.2 to 8 or even higher. It is the opposite of rumen acidosis .

Symptoms

The animals have decreased appetite, puff up repeatedly, have diarrhea , lie down frequently and have accelerated breathing as well as cramps and states of agitation.

causes

Rumen alkalosis is usually caused by an excessively high protein content in the feed ration. A too high proportion of protein-rich concentrate feed can also be the cause. The breakdown of protein leads to an increase in the ammonia concentration in the rumen juice , which causes the pH value to rise. Excessive amounts of urea in the ration, nitrate-rich feed or straw that has been digested with ammonia in large amounts can also cause rumen alkalosis.

Treatment and prevention

The feed ration must have a balanced energy and protein content as required. Particularly with high-performance cows, it is important to ensure that the ration contains a sufficient proportion of proteins that are not broken down in the rumen.

Rumen alkalosis can be treated, for example, by acidifying the rumen content or by transferring rumen juice.