Lactic acid poisoning in dairy cows is a systemic metabolic disorder, which is caused by feeding numerous feedstuffs that are easy to ferment and produce acid. The main characteristic of lactic acid poisoning is the accumulation of large amounts of lactic acid in the rumen. The main clinical manifestations of diseased cattle were mental depression or excitement, loss of appetite, stop of peristalsis of the rumen, obvious dehydration, decrease of gastric juice pH value, and decrease of plasma carbon dioxide binding capacity. This article summarizes the clinical manifestations of lactic acid poisoning in dairy cows and the treatment measures for lactic acid poisoning in dairy cows. Let's get to learn it together.
When the diseased cattle undergo acute feeding, they usually do not show obvious symptoms and often die after 3 to 5 hours of feeding. Diseased cattle with a longer duration usually show mental depression, refusal to walk, shaking, quickening breathing, asthma, and heartbeat can exceed 100 beats/min. They often die within 1 to 2 hours. The sick cow will kick his head before he dies, open his mouth and speak out, loudly and moo and foam liquid mixed with a small amount of blood will flow out of his mouth.
The milder symptoms of the disease showed loss of appetite or complete abolition, mental malaise, sunken eye sockets, muscle tremor, unstable walking, molar chewing, reduced rumination, weakened or completely disappeared rumen peristalsis, rumen swelling, and with the progress of the disease, there will be numerous fluid accumulation in the rumen. Excretion of soft or water-like feces, black or tan, mixed with mucus or blood, and fragrant acid odor. The volume of urination decreased or stopped, and the body temperature was normal or slightly decreased. Short breathing and increased pulse. If the sick cow can't lie on the ground, the head can still be raised in the initial stage, but soon the head, neck, and body will be lying on the ground, that is, lying position, limbs stiff, angular arch reflex, molars, moans, frequent head shaking, excessive excitement, but later depression, unable to move the whole body, eyelids closed, into coma, most. Death eventually occurs.
Anterior gastric flaccidity. The diseased dairy cows may have heterophilia. The contents of rumen are congeed, continuous heating, and intermittent rumen swelling, but there is no significant difference in body temperature, pulse, and respiration.
Rumen accumulation. The symptoms are similar, but palpation of the rumen of dairy cows suffering from rumen accumulated food can make them feel uneasy, and the contents are sticky and hard. Pressing with a fist at this place will form an indentation, and lactic acid poisoning will often occur if no timely and effective treatment is taken.
Rumen swelling. Both of them can lead to faster breathing, less ruminant times and slow rumen peristalsis, but cows suffering from rumen swelling will cause obvious abdominal circumference enlargement, knocking on the abdominal wall will emit drumming.
Traumatic retinal peritonitis. Both of them can lead to a marked increase in body temperature, increased pulse, faster breathing, loss of appetite or complete abolition of diseased cattle. However, dairy cows suffering from traumatic reticuloendoperitonitis can cause abnormal movement and posture, loss of appetite, reduced drinking water, and obstinate anterior gastric flaccidity. The palpation of reticuloendoperitonitis can cause obvious pain in diseased cows.
Abdominal obstruction. Both of them can cause the pH value of rumen fluid in diseased cattle to be in the range of 1-5. However, the rib arch of the abomasum region can be tapped on diseased cattle with abomasum obstruction. Combined with auscultation, the clatter of tapping steel tube can be heard.
Abdominal gastritis. Cattle suffering from rump gastritis are sensitive to palpation of the rump region, yellow staining of the oral mucosa and conjunctiva, diarrhea or constipation, sometimes accompanied by vomiting symptoms.
Postpartum paralysis. They are very easy to confuse, but cattle suffering from postpartum paralysis will lead to S-shaped curvature of the neck, decreased peripheral perception, normal body temperature or slightly reduced blood calcium content significantly reduced, the use of calcium treatment has a good effect.
Western medicine treatment. Corresponding treatment should be taken in time according to the etiology and symptoms, mainly to inhibit the formation of lactic acid in the rumen and alleviate acidosis; appropriate fluid infusion can enhance the detoxification ability of the liver and adjust the gastrointestinal function. The diseased cattle can be injected with 600 mL 5% sodium bicarbonate injection or 3000-4000 mL glucose saline once. It should be noted that before adjusting the pH value of rumen juice, diseased cattle should clear the rumen contents before taking alkaline drugs, such as 100-150 g sodium bicarbonate or 250 g magnesium oxide, and 120 g calcium carbonate, once a day. If necessary, they can be taken again one day apart. If the symptoms of diseased cows are serious and the above treatment has no obvious effect, rumen incision can be used to remove more than half of the contents. If the conditions permit, rumen juice of 3000-5000 mL healthy cows can be put in. That is to say, transplantation therapy is adopted, which has a better therapeutic effect. To accelerate the excretion of lactic acid, stimulate myocardial contraction and enhance muscle tension of the whole body, 10% 500-600 mL calcium gluconate injection can be injected intravenously once.
1. Symptom: When dairy cows overeat cereals, they usually develop acute poisoning within 4 to 8 hours after feeding, especially corn. They are usually depressed, happy to lie down, sometimes with diarrhea and die quickly. Most appetite drops ruminant decreases, and then quickly abolishes. Rumen peristalsis is weak and stops quickly. The rumen is deficient and distended, and the contents are mostly liquid. Most cases have elevated body temperature, increased pulse, and respiration, severe dehydration, tight skin, sunken eyeballs, blood concentration, reduced urine volume and eventually accompanied by hoofs and rumen inflammation. Laboratory tests showed that the pH value and total acidity of rumen juice decreased, osmotic pressure increased, and blood alkali storage and carbon dioxide binding capacity decreased.
2. Prevention: Mainly control the amount of grain feed, especially in the early lactation of dairy cows, the amount of grain feed should gradually increase, so that it has a process of adaptation. When the roughage is insufficient, the feeding quantity should be strictly controlled to prevent overfeeding and poisoning. Also, feeding management should be strengthened to prevent animals from stealing food.
3. Treatment: The principle is to neutralize the acidity of rumen contents, relieve dehydration and strengthen the heart. Also, it cooperates with symptomatic treatment.
① The neutralization acidity can be lavaged with lime water (1 kg of quicklime, 5 kg of water, fully stirring, taking its supernatant) until the gastric juice is alkaline.
② To relieve dehydration, 5% glucose saline or compound sodium chloride solution can be supplemented. Each time, cows are given 8000-10000 ml and sheep 500-1000 ml, twice intravenous injection. Adding cardiotonic agents and sodium bicarbonate to rehydration fluid is more effective. According to the change of illness, symptomatic therapy should be adopted at any time. If hoofs are accompanied, antihistamines are injected.