Changes

Cow management and nutrition should be assessed on the farm. The adequacy of effective long fibre can be determined by visual inspection of the diet, or by use of the Penn State Forage Particle Seperator. This is a set of sieves designed to separate the by particle size to facilitate the evaluation of effective long fibre. It cannot be used for diets containing large amounts of wet grass silage, as this clogs the sieve, but can be useful for evaluting separate forage components and total mixed rations. Sequential analaysis of the ration throughout the day will identify whether the ration is being sorted. It is also important to  determine the availability of food to cattle at all times, and a detailed management history should be obtained.  

Cow management and nutrition should be assessed on the farm. The adequacy of effective long fibre can be determined by visual inspection of the diet, or by use of the Penn State Forage Particle Seperator. This is a set of sieves designed to separate the by particle size to facilitate the evaluation of effective long fibre. It cannot be used for diets containing large amounts of wet grass silage, as this clogs the sieve, but can be useful for evaluting separate forage components and total mixed rations. Sequential analaysis of the ration throughout the day will identify whether the ration is being sorted. It is also important to  determine the availability of food to cattle at all times, and a detailed management history should be obtained.  

Sieving of faeces can provide useful information.

Sieving of faeces can provide useful information. Between 6 and 12 faecal samples per group of cows are collected from the ground and seived in a kitchen sieve under running water. Fibre length and the presence of undigested food can then be visually assessed. Fibres of greater than 1.25cm in the faeces is suggestive of SARA, and undigested grains indicate either SARA or poor grain preparation. Fibrin casts may also be visualised in this way.

Faecal sieving was developed at the University of Florida

are collected from the ground using a disposable coffee

per group of cows and sieved under running water.

ular attention to both fibre length and the presence of

undigested foodstuffs. Faecal fibre greater than 1.25 cm

in length is suggestive of the presence of ruminal acidosis.

The presence of undigested grains suggests ruminal

acidosis, or poor harvesting or preparation techniques

soda treatment of wheat). A common finding in cases of

SARA is the presence of fibrin casts in faeces which indicate

colonic mucosal damage.

===Pathology===

===Pathology===