Case Report: Abomasum Impaction in Beef Cattle Due to High Intake of Distillers' Grain and Treatment Options in Southwest China

Abstract

In Southern China, distillers' grain is the main feed ingredient for small beef cattle farms. High intake of distillers' grain may lead to abomasum impaction, a disorder caused by the accumulation of solid content within the organ. For treatment, there are non-surgical and surgical options. In this study, we aimed to describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of beef cattle with abomasum impaction due to high intake of distillers' grain. Forty-nine Simmental beef cattle from 13 farms in Chongqing, China, were diagnosed with abomasum impaction. Animals were male, aged ≤2 years, and weighed between 200 and 350 kg. In this retrospective study, information on distillers' grain intake and clinical data were collected for 49 beef cattle diagnosed with abomasum impaction. The animals were treated between 2011 and 2019 with either non-surgical therapy or surgery. Animals diagnosed with mild abomasum impaction (n = 14) fully recovered after non-surgical treatment. Among moderate cases (n = 19), 12 cattle recovered after non-surgical treatment (63%), while the remaining seven did not respond well and underwent surgery. Three of those animals were subsequently cured (3/7). Among the severe cases (n = 16), four cattle were cured after non-surgical treatment (25%) (4/16). Of the remaining 12 cattle, six were slaughtered, and six died after surgery. Non-surgical treatment is efficient for mild abomasum impaction caused by a high intake of distillers' grain and may be considered for both moderate and severe cases. However, the treatment success rate for more severe cases decreases as the disease severity worsens.

Foreign bodies in the digestive system in the diarrheic Hanwoo calves: A retrospective study

“…The aim of the present retrospective study is therefore to introduce the clinical signs of the diarrheic calves with foreign bodies in the digestive system as a non-infectious etiology of calf's diarrhea, to plan for diagnosis protocol with Foreign bodies in the digestive system in the diarrheic Hanwoo calves: A retrospective study 299 www.kojvs.org problems demand surgical approach and correction to save the animal's life. For this reason, it is very important that the animal caretakers need to rapidly recognize clinical signs of GI obstruction such as decreases of feed intake, less rumination, depression, lethargy, noticeably expanded abdomen, and diarrhea (Yong et al, 2021). The veterinarian must diagnose cows presenting such clinical signs as prompt as possible.…”

“…Several types of indigestible materials including grass, hair, gravel, wool balls, placenta, plastic bag, string, almond shell, nail, wire, and pineapple pulp can be foreign bodies in cattle (Mushonga et al, 2015;Bwatota et al, 2018;Yong et al, 2021). Old cattle had more prevalent to have foreign bodies than younger ones, and cattle with poor body condition were determined to more contain foreign bodies in the digestive system than those with good body condition; in this study, it was concluded that presence of foreign bodies in the digestive system reduced the volume of the stomachs which was supposed to be filled with feed (Bwatota et al, 2018).…”

“…The middle stage (5∼10 days) presents decreased appetite, increased water consumption, apparently enlarged abdominal circumference, large fluid-filled rumen, and absence or weakening of sound in the rumen and omasum. In the last stage of diarrheic cattle (longer than 10 days), severer symptoms for disease such as depression, lethargy, and sunken eyes due to dehydration, loss of appetite and rumination, and noticeably expanded and hard abdomen can be found; especially, discharging small amount of mushy feces or foul-smelling feces mixed with mucus/purple-black blood clots can be observable in middle stage or last stage, respectively (Yong et al, 2021). In addition, it is a small proportion but the diarrhea is also occurred in 5% of adult cattle with foreign bodies in the rumen and reticle (Roth and King, 1991).…”

“…Because of the invisibility of ingested foreign bodies and the limitation of diagnostic facilities in the farm field, the foreign bodies in cattle's stomachs are only then found during slaughtering or necropsy in dead animals in most cases. However, the diagnosis of foreign body in the digestive system has been investigated in the adult cattle by manual palpation, exploratory surgery, and ultrasonography (Roth and King, 1991;Semieka, 2010;Tschuor et al, 2010;Rezac et al, 2014;Mushonga et al, 2015;Braun et al, 2018;Carvalho et al, 2020;Yong et al, 2021). Unfortunately, there is still limited information for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of foreign bodies in the digestive system in calves, especially in Hanwoo (Korean native cattle).…”

Diagnosis and treatment of traumatic reticulitis associated with abomasal obstruction in beef cattle during late pregnancy: A case report

“…Abo masum impaction (AI) is a disorder in which the organ becomes enlarged due to the accumulation of solid, dry matter ( El-Ashker et al , 2018 ; Yong et al , 2021 ). In general, AI is considered to be a rare condition; however, the incidence varies geographically and is related to feeding patterns, pregnancy, and complications with other diseases ( Kahn and Line, 2010 ; Yasaswini et al , 2022 ).…”