Eight Common Gastrointestinal Diseases in Cattle and Their Treatments
In cattle breeding, gastrointestinal diseases mainly include esophageal obstruction, rumen atony, ruminal tympany (commonly known as bloating), rumen impaction, traumatic reticuloperitonitis, omasum obstruction, gastroenteritis and pericarditis, etc. Below is an introduction to the eight common gastrointestinal diseases in cattle breeding and their treatments!
1. Esophageal obstruction
Cause: It is caused by the esophageal lumen suddenly being blocked by swallowed oversized lump feed, such as carrots, sweet potato root crops, or cake feed that has not been broken up and softened.
Treatment: Push-down method - use an esophageal probe to push the obstruction in the thoracic esophagus downward into the stomach; air-pumping method - insert a stomach tube into the esophagus and then pump air, or insert while pushing to achieve the purpose of pushing the obstruction down; forced exercise method - tie the cow's head together with its forelimb fetlock, then force the cow to exercise for 20-30 minutes, using neck muscle movement to help the obstruction enter the rumen.
2. Rumen atony
Cause: Long-term heavy feeding of coarse, hard-to-digest feed, overeating rich, poor-quality, moldy and deteriorated distiller's grains feed, insufficient exercise, deficiency of vitamins and minerals, or secondary to rumen impaction, tympany, traumatic reticuloperitonitis, parturient paresis, etc.
Treatment: To expel the contents of the forestomach, use laxative and fermentation-inhibiting agents, such as sodium sulfate, alcohol, ichthammol, or 1000 milliliters of soybean oil.
3. Ruminal tympany (commonly known as bloating)
Cause: It is mainly caused by cattle consuming large amounts of easily fermentable feed, resulting in the production of a large amount of gas, blocked belching, and acute excessive distension of the rumen.
Treatment: In mild cases, take the cow to a slope with the front higher and the rear lower, raise the cow's head high while pulling the tongue by hand to induce belching, and combine this with rubbing the rumen with the fist. In severe cases, rumen trocarization can be performed to release gas. Gas release should start slowly to prevent cerebral anemia. A cardiotonic can be injected before the procedure, and 0.5 hours after gas release, fermentation-inhibiting drugs can be given orally.
4. Rumen impaction
Cause: Caused by eating excessive coarse feed, sudden feed changes with good palatability, stealing feed, eating too much after excessive hunger, or eating too quickly.
Treatment: Fast for 1-2 days, but do not restrict drinking water. After appetite and rumination return, gradually feed a small amount of soft forage.
5. Traumatic reticuloperitonitis
Cause: Eating too quickly, insufficient chewing, and foreign bodies swallowed with feed sink into the reticulum, damaging the reticulum wall.
Treatment: Prevention is primary. There is no effective drug treatment. A magnetic rod can be placed into the stomach when calves are 6 months old, and when appropriate, foreign bodies can also be removed.
6. Omasum obstruction
Cause: Eating large amounts of hard feed rich in crude fiber, unclean distiller's grains and bran containing mud and sand, frost-damaged frozen feed, along with insufficient drinking water.
Treatment: Liquid paraffin, castor oil, and concentrated saline, glucose solution, and Anna Ka are often injected intravenously. Under a doctor's guidance, magnesium sulfate solution, liquid paraffin, and ichthammol can also be injected into the omasum.
7. Abomasal displacement
Cause: During pregnancy in cows, the enlarged uterus lifts the rumen from the abdominal floor and pushes the abomasum forward and to the left, to below the left side of the rumen. After calving, gravity is suddenly released, the diseased stomach sinks, and the abomasum cannot immediately return to its original position, leading to the occurrence of the disease. It is related to abomasal atony.
Treatment: This disease should be treated by a veterinarian with surgery. Drugs are not very effective.
8. Gastroenteritis
Cause: Primary cases are caused by poor feed quality damaging the gastrointestinal mucosa. There are also improper feeding and management practices, such as sudden feed changes, uneven hunger and satiety, and disrupted feeding order, which cause digestive dysfunction, reduced digestive juices, and abnormal fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract.
Treatment: Drug treatment first considers antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. If infectivity is suspected, isolation should be carried out, such as chloramphenicol, chlortetracycline, berberine, sulfadimidine, and artificial salt.
The above is Tuliu.com's introduction to the eight common gastrointestinal diseases in cattle breeding and their treatments. During the breeding process, attention should be paid to the hygiene of the cattle shed and diseases should be checked in a timely manner to avoid losses.