Changes

'''High proportions of starches and sugars in the diet''': Dairy farmers often include large amounts of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates in the diet in order to meet energy requirements and maintain body condition score and milk production. These carbohydrates can take the form of grain, concentrates or maize silage. However, rapid fermentation leads to over-production of volatile fatty acids, and thus subacute rumenal acidosis. This actually makes digestion less effective, so the cattle do not benefit as much as the should do from the extra sources of metabolisable energy. A vicious cycle can ensue of poorer performance and supplementary feeding of concentrates.

'''High proportions of starches and sugars in the diet''': Dairy farmers often include large amounts of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates in the diet in order to meet energy requirements and maintain body condition score and milk production. These carbohydrates can take the form of grain, concentrates or maize silage. However, rapid fermentation leads to over-production of volatile fatty acids, and thus subacute rumenal acidosis. This actually makes digestion less effective, so the cattle do not benefit as much as the should do from the extra sources of metabolisable energy. A vicious cycle can ensue of poorer performance and supplementary feeding of concentrates.

'''Poor dry cow management''':

'''Inadequate dry cow diet''': the diet fed immediately before calving (the transitional cow diet) should be formulated to stimulate the development of rumen papillae and the acquisition of an appropriate colony of microflora. This should ensure that cattle can adequately ferment the post-calving diet and effectively absorb the nutrients it provides. Therefore, if the dry cow diet does not encourage these processes, volatile fatty acids can accumulate in the rumen when the lactation diet is introduced, leading to SARA. This is a particularly common problem, since dry cows are "non-milkers" and so tend to be the forgotten members of a herd.

As mentioned earlier, feeding a suitable transition diet is

essential for rumen papillar development and the acquisition

of a suitable rumen microflora capable of dealing

with the lactation diet.

'''Feeding post-calving''':

'''Feeding post-calving''':