Changes

There is no specific treatment for subacute rumenal acidosis, because it is not normally detected at the time of subobtimal rumen pH. Correcting the diet and managing the feeding regime should however bring the pH back into the ideal range. Conditions occuring secondary to SARA, such as mastitis, lameness and LDAs, should be treated as necessary.

There is no specific treatment for subacute rumenal acidosis, because it is not normally detected at the time of subobtimal rumen pH. Correcting the diet and managing the feeding regime should however bring the pH back into the ideal range. Conditions occuring secondary to SARA, such as mastitis, lameness and LDAs, should be treated as necessary.

SARA can be prevented by considering the risk factors already described. The amount of rapidly fermentable carbohydrate consumed at each meal should be limited; this can be achieved by accurate diet formulation relative to the needs of the animal, and by proper management of the feeding regime.

The key to prevention is reducing the amount of readily fermentable carbohydrate consumed at each meal. This requires both good diet formulation (proper balance of fiber and nonfiber carbohydrates) and excellent feed bunk management. Animals consuming well-formulated diets remain at high risk for this condition if they tend to eat large meals because of excessive competition for bunk space or following periods of feed deprivation.

Field recommendations for feeding component-fed concentrates to dairy cattle during the first 3 wk of lactation are usually excessive. Feeding excessive quantities of concentrate and insufficient forage results in a fiber-deficient ration likely to cause subacute ruminal acidosis. The same situation may be seen during the last few days before parturition if the ration is fed in separate components; as dry-matter intake drops before calving, dry cows preferentially consume concentrate over fiber and develop acidosis.

Field recommendations for feeding component-fed concentrates to dairy cattle during the first 3 wk of lactation are usually excessive. Feeding excessive quantities of concentrate and insufficient forage results in a fiber-deficient ration likely to cause subacute ruminal acidosis. The same situation may be seen during the last few days before parturition if the ration is fed in separate components; as dry-matter intake drops before calving, dry cows preferentially consume concentrate over fiber and develop acidosis.

Subacute ruminal acidosis may also be caused by errors in delivery of the rations or by formulation of rations that contain excessive amounts of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates or a deficiency of fiber. Recommendations for the fiber content of dairy rations are available in the National Research Council report, Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle (see nutrition: dairy cattle, ). Dry-matter content errors in total mixed rations are commonly related to a lack of adjustment for changes in moisture content of forages.

Subacute ruminal acidosis may also be caused by errors in delivery of the rations or by formulation of rations that contain excessive amounts of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates or a deficiency of fiber. Recommendations for the fiber content of dairy rations are available in the National Research Council report, Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle (see nutrition: dairy cattle, ). Dry-matter content errors in total mixed rations are commonly related to a lack of adjustment for changes in moisture content of forages.