Commonwealth of Australia Copyright regulations 1969 WARNING This material has been copied and communicated to you by or on behalf of the University of Adelaide pursuant of Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968 (the Act). The material in this communication may be subject to copyright under the Act. Any further reproduction or communication of this material by you may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act. Do not remove this notice Assessment of rumen fluid of a bovine patient Kiro R Petrovski AVA conference Adelaide DVM, MVSc, PGDipVCSc, PhD Senior Lecturer May 2016 kiro.petrovski@adelaide.edu.au
Learning objectives Collection and handling of rumen fluid sample Assessment Colour Odour Consistency Rumen ph Sedimentation Rumen microbial population Rumen chloride concentration Common abnormalities and causes
Why assessment of rumen fluid? Large amount of information Function of rumen Rumen health Assist in diagnosis of disorders Rumeno-reticulum Rumen fermentation Disruption of passage of ingesta Collection also essential for transfaunation Large bore stomach tube Cannuculated rumen
Timing of collection of rumen fluid Consistent, repeatable and comparable results require standardised methodology and timing The most representative sample Collection at the nadir of the ph Depends on the type of diet TMR 4-8 hours after access to the fresh ration Grass 3-5 hours after access to a fresh break PMR or separate components 2-4 hours after the primary concentrate meal of the day
Collection of rumen sample Rumen tubing of various diameter Oro-ruminal Naso-ruminal Rumen cannula Rumenocentesis
Collecting rumen fluid sample sample Method of Collection Oro-ruminal tube Naso-ruminal tube Advantages Disadvantages Prevention of problems Ease, non-invasive Ease, non-invasive; less saliva contamination Contamination by saliva; ph higher 0.1-1.0 points Contamination by saliva; ph higher 0.1-0.2 points; Damage to nasal cavity Discard first 50-100mL; Collect min 200 ml sample; Cover tube tip Discard first 50-100mL; Collect min 200 ml sample; Use of soft tubing Rumen cannula No admixtures at all Invasive, public concerns Rumenocentesis No saliva admixtures Potential blood admixtures; Semi-invasive; Pain, loss of appetite; 1-5% patients: haematoma, abscess, localised peritonitis; bleeding Late gestation penetration of uterus Ultrasonography; local anaesthesia
Handling of rumen fluid samples Collection vessels Properly labelled Include time and method of collection Air tight lid Assessment carried out within 30 minutes If not Sample refrigerated (not frozen) Delays in assessment Can result in artefactual changes e.g. changes in rumen ph
Assessment of rumen fluid sample Techniques and equipment Inspection ph meter/ph indicator papers Test tube Microscope (40x &100x) Lugol s iodine 0.04% new methylene blue solution/0.01% resazurin Gram stain Centrifuge (Portable chloride meter) Sample assessed in transparent container
Assessment of rumen fluid sample cont d Colour Odour Consistency Rumen ph Narrow column transparent container May need sieving Keep in closed contained 5-10 and open Slowly turning 45-60⁰ L & R Narrow range ph indicator papers ph meter
Assessment of rumen fluid sample cont d Sedimentation Rumen protozoa Rumen microflora Rumen chloride concentration Test tube (Sample filtered) # entering microscopic field Lugol s iodine staining Methylene blue test Gram stained slide Centrifuged sample Portable chloride meters/laboratory In calves rennet test
Parameter Normal Common abnormalities Causes Yellow/Brown (Corn silage/straw-based diet) Green (Pasture-based diet) Olive/Brown (High concentrate-based diet) Colour Olive-green to greenish brown Milky grey/brown Light brown Blackish-green/Dark brown/blackish Lactic acidosis Simple indigestion Putrefaction, Prolonged ruminal stasis (e.g. vagus indigestion) Reddish Admixture of blood. (Beetroot in diet) Black (Administration of activated charcoal) Rancid/Acidic/Sour Lactic acidosis Abomasal Pyloric outflow obstruction, Backflow of abomasal content Odour Sweet and fermentative Foul, foetid and/or mouldy Stale and indifferent Putrefaction, Prolonged ruminal stasis [e.g. vagus indigestion] Inactive rumen Putrid Putrefactive indigestion [e.g. abomasal reflux, rumen deposition of milk] Ammoniac Urea toxicity Bitter almond Cyanide toxicity
Parameter Normal Common abnormalities Causes Consistency ph Sedimentation Slightly viscous 6.0-7.2 5-10 minutes Secondary floatation in few minutes Watery Very watery and little particulate matter Pasty (often with small bubbles) Medium to large bubbles Excessively viscous 5.0-6.0 Rumen dysfunction and inactivity Starvation Vagus indigestion Frothy bloat (Admixture of saliva) (@ introduction of easy digestible diet [e.g. concentrate, lush pasture]) 4.0-5.0/5.2 Lactic acidosis 5.2-5.6/5.8 (long lasting) Low rumen ph SARA? [need other evidence e.g. appetite, faeces, associated disorders] Abomasal reflux 7.0-8.0 (No access to food 24 hours) 8.0-10.0 High rumen ph Rapid sedimentation Very slow to absent secondary floatation Rapid sedimentation Rapid secondary floatation Normal to delayed sedimentation Rapid secondary floatation Urea toxicity, Protein decomposition/putrefaction (Admixture of saliva) Lactic acidosis, Simple indigestion, Starvation (No access to food 24 hours) Rumen putrefaction
Parameter Normal Common abnormalities Causes Rumen protozoa Rumen microflora Rumen chloride >10 Almost uniformly stained with Lugol s iodine Many protozoal forms MBT 2-6 minutes Small % Gram positives Many bacterial forms <30 meq/l <8 Dysfunctional rumen <5 Inactive rumen Low Lugol s iodine uptake MBT <1 Dominant small bacterial forms MBT 4-6-7 Dominant large bacterial forms MBT >10 Many gram positives Small bacterial variability Higher Insufficient starch reserves (High grain diet) (High fibre diet) Inactive microflora/vagus indigestion Lactic acidosis Inactive microflora (High salt in diet) >30 meq/l Abomasal reflux
Improving value of assessment of rumen fluid Parameter Colour Odour Consistency ph Sedimentation Protozoa Bacteria Chloride Relate to Smell, (diet, cattle signs) Colour, (diet, cattle signs, clinical sings) ph, (appetite, diet, clinical signs) Consistency, protozoa, (diet, time from feeding, stage of lactation, cattle signs, milk fat/protein, clinical signs, incidence of associated disorders) ph, protozoa (diet, appetite, cattle sings) ph, (appetite, diet, cattle signs) ph, (appetite, diet, cattle signs) ph, (diet, clinical signs)
Take home messages Assessment of the rumen fluid is informative Samples should be purposively taken and carefully handled Findings should be interpreted holistically Diet, appetite, time from feeding Cattle signs
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