rumen acidosis liver abscess polioencephalomalasia, or polio, or pem, or “brainer” nitrate...
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Rumen acidosis liver abscess
Polioencephalomalasia, or Polio, or PEM, or “Brainer”
Nitrate poisoning
Nutritional Disorders in Beef Cattle
Feedlot: Acidosis and other “digestive” problems
AcuteLaminitis, founder
Hopelessly off-feed
Sell immediately
Chronic or subacuteA little off feed,
poor performers
Long term effectRumenitis: more problems as
we have longer fed cattle – calf-feds, Holsteins, Japanese
Probably bigger problem in the PNW with barley, wheat and potato feeding
Best symptom is liver abscesses (Fusobacterium necrophorum; Actinomyces pyogenes)
Its all about bunk management !!
Ruminant system of carbohydrate digestion and absorption: Effect of feeding grain
Acidosis symptoms
variable feed intake (symptom and cause)
feces: loose – splattering, less than 1” high, no dimpling/concentric rings
lack of cud chewing
hoof lines, abnormal hoof growth
dairy: milk fat inversion
beef: liver abscesses
Acidosis
• Indicates rumen insult• Grows .25 inch (6 mm) / month
Liver Abscess Classification
O A -
A A +
A+ Liver Abscesses, 1990 to 1999
02468
10121416
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Ave.
% Abscess
SteersHeifersHolsteins
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Total Abscesses by Month, 1990 - 1999Tylan Fed Steers, All Districts
02468
1012141618
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg
% Abscess
90-98 Avg.1999
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EFFECT OF RUMENSIN PLUS TYLAN ON LIVER ABSCESS INCIDENCE
CONTROL RUMENSIN +TYLAN
NO. HEAD 976 1937
% A- 7.7 5.4
% A 8.4a 3.5b
% A+ 20.1a 3.5b
TOTAL 36.2a 12.4b
LAUDERT, 1990, 4 TRIAL SUMMARY ab (P<0.02)
Classically associated with periods of rumen digestive upset
◦ irregular feed intake◦ Consumption of moldy feed◦ Lush highly fermentable forages – rapeseed forage
Classically considered to be thiamine deficiency◦ Usually from presence of thiaminases◦ Administer thiamine – oral or injectible
Polioencephalomalasia, or Polio, or PEM, or “Brainer”
Symptoms:◦ Laminar cortical necrosis (brain damage)◦ Blindness◦ Staggering◦ Down◦ Seizures
◦ Recent understanding: high dietary sulfur is a predisposing factor: rumen bacteria convert sulfur to hydrogen sulfide, enters the blood, interferes with energy metabolism, “starves” the CNS
Polioencephalomalasia, or Polio, or PEM, or “Brainer”
Current issue is with corn byproducts – wet milling involves softening the grain with sulfuric acid◦ Inclusion of high levels of corn gluten feed or corn distillers
grain can increase risk of PEM◦ Low rumen pH increases production and absorption of sulfide◦ No amount of dietary thiamine can completely eliminate the
risk – may reduce the incidence
◦ Formulate diets to have 0.4% Sulfur (or less)
Polioencephalomalasia, or Polio, or PEM, or “Brainer”
Nitrate poisoning Ruminal conversion of nitrates in plants to nitrites (instead
of ammonia to microbial protein), enters blood, binds with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, reduces oxygen transport to cells.
Formation of methemoglobin is normally reduced (via electron donation) by protective enzyme systems:◦ e.g., NADH methemoglobin reductase (cytochrome-b5
reductase)
Nitrate poisoning, cont Symptoms:
◦Respiratory distress◦Incoordination◦Weakness◦muscle tremors◦Collapse - dead
◦Don’t stress affected cattle!
Nitrate poisoning, cont Common feeds:
◦ Stressed crops (drought, frost, hail)
◦ Cool, overcast climate
◦ Lower portion of stem/stalks of certain plants: pigweed, sorghum, corn, Sudan grass, barley and oats
◦ High N fertilizer
◦ Immature more than mature forages
15 to 45 g of Nitrate per 100 pounds body weight – from feed and water◦1% nitrate in forage DM◦1,500 mg/ml nitrate (ppm) in water
Younger cattle are more susceptible
Category
NO3 NO3-N KNO3
Remarks
1 <0.5 <0.12 <0.81 Generally safe for beef cattle and sheep
2 0.5 - 1.0
0.12 - 0.23
0.81 - 1.63
Caution - some subclinical symptoms may appear in pregnant horses, sheep and
beef cattle
3 1.0 0.23 1.63 High nitrate problems - death losses and abortions can occur in beef cattle and
sheep
4 <1.23 <0.28 <2.00 Maximum safe level for horses. Do not feed high nitrate forages to pregnant
mares.