Rumen acidosis I Knowledge for dairy farmers

Rumen acidosis in dairy cows is a common problem and negatively affects the health and performance of dairy cattle. When the rumen pH becomes too low, rumen acidosis occurs. This can happen due to, for example, a quickly fermented silage, an unbalanced ration, or a disturbed rumen flora.

In this article:

Symptoms of rumen acidosis
How does a cow get rumen acidosis?
Sodium bicarbonate and saliva
How to prevent rumen acidosis?

Symptoms of rumen acidosis

less appetite;
watery manure and diarrhea;
lower milk production;
more risk of infections;
poor body condition score.

Do you also sometimes feel that your cows don’t feel entirely comfortable? That you think, “…I’m missing a few liters in the milk tank…?”. If so, could it be that your cows are suffering from rumen acidosis?

Don’t panic! While rumen acidosis is a serious problem, you give the rumen maximum Energy through proper management and synchronizing your rations.

HOW DOES A COW GET RUMEN ACIDOSIS?

A cow develops rumen acidosis – sub-acute and acute – when the pH in the rumen drops below 5.8. This disrupts the microflora. This can happen when cows are fed rapidly fermented carbohydrates, such as sugary maize or quickly fermentable grass silage, or due to high concentrate intake. The carbohydrates are quickly broken down in the rumen and cause high acidity.

You can compare it to eating fast food. At the moment itself, that burger is delicious, but the consequences are quickly noticeable and not so pleasant. You feel heartburn coming on.

Other factors that can cause rumen acidosis are irregular feeding schedules, insufficient structure in the ration, heat stress, and lack of exercise.

It is essential to prevent rumen acidosis because subacute rumen acidosis can lead to lower milk production and acute rumen acidosis, leading to serious health problems.

SODIUM BICARBONATE AND SALIVA

A cow chews and ruminates for an average of 14 hours a day. This happens, among other things, in the cow’s rumen. The rumen is a big barrel of bacteria that helps to digest the ration.

A palatable ration that makes the cow drool is crucial. The cow produces saliva rich in the rumen buffer sodium bicarbonate by chewing and ruminating. This is the natural mechanism to neutralize acids and stabilize the rumen pH.

But when the cow rests, and the saliva influx stops, the rumen’s pH drops, and the risk of rumen acidosis increases. At these times, it is crucial to synchronize your ration with a long-term and pH-controlled solution, such as pHom Norway, based on plant-based and arctic minerals.

HOW TO PREVENT RUMEN ACIDOSIS?

You can prevent rumen acidosis by offering your cows sufficient structure. A good ration and high-quality silage are essential. It’s silage first, but not only silage.

The rumen is the engine in the cow, and the microflora is the fuel. More than 70% of a cow’s energy is supplied from the rumen through fatty acids. pHom Norway is like a lubricant for the engine. It reduces friction and prevents the engine from clogging up.

pHom Norway gives the rumen more Energy for every cow, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! It works pH-controlled for every cow at any time of the day.

If rumen pH is optimal, pHom Norway hardly reacts at all. When the rumen pH drops towards acidification, the plant-based and arctic minerals start reacting to restore the balance in the rumen. At the same time, the minerals are absorbed via the rumen wall. Thus, pHom Norway replaces buffer packs and traditional rumen buffers, such as the chemically produced sodium bicarbonate. You can also stop supplementing limestone. This also allows you to create dietary space with pHom Norway.

The result with 3 to 3.5 oz of pHom Norway: