Diagnosing sub-acute rumen acidosis in cows in the post-calving period with digital technologies

Abstract

This study aims to determine the relationship between indicators of the motor activity, pH factor, rumen and rectal temperature within 10 days after calving and to analyze the possibility of using the studied parameters as prognostic signs for diagnosing sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA). The measurements were taken using bolus with sensors designed to monitor cow health. The motor activity, pH factor and ruminal temperature of 10 cows were measured during 10 days at a measurement interval of every 60 seconds. Next, the researchers calculated the average values of the obtained readings, which were divided into 2 groups according to a measurement interval of every 12 hours. Rectal temperature was measured using a veterinary thermometer every 12 hours (at 8 a.m. and at 8 p.m.). As a result, 200 measurements were obtained. Descriptive sampling statistics were calculated using the SPSS Statistics program. An increase in motor activity reduces the pH level of the rumen environment. Lowering the pH factor of the rumen environment leads to an increase in ruminal temperature. There is a positive statistically significant correlation between ruminal and rectal temperature. The nosology of SARA can be predicted by measuring the motor activity and rectal temperature of dairy cows.

Algorithms for Detecting Cattle Diseases at Early Stages and for Making Diagnoses and Related Recommendations

“…Similar results regarding the high correlation between the studied cattle's physiological parameters were obtained by Alzahal et al (2008) and by Antanaitis et al (2016). The research results by Dorokhov et al (2021) showed a negative statistically significant correlation (r = −0.932, p < 0.01) between rumen temperature and its pH [33][34][35].…”