Why should cattle and sheep not be fed rice water after giving birth?

A farmer fed rice water to a cow after it gave birth to a calf, which caused rumen acidosis in the cow. Fortunately, the veterinarian treated it in time, so no loss was caused. According to the veterinarian, livestock are weak after giving birth, and feeding a moderate amount of rice water can supplement nutrition, strengthen the bones and muscles, and help cattle and sheep produce more milk. However, this is not the case for ruminant livestock such as cattle and sheep; drinking rice water after giving birth can easily cause rumen acidosis.

After cattle and sheep develop this disease, for milder cases, sodium bicarbonate (cattle 60-100 grams, sheep 15-30 grams) and ginger tincture (cattle 80-100 milliliters, sheep 30-60 milliliters) can be mixed with an appropriate amount of water and administered by drenching. For more severe cases, gastric lavage can be combined with Pingwei San (cattle 100-250 grams, sheep 20-25 grams), ginger tincture, and baking soda mixed with an appropriate amount of water and administered by drenching. At the same time, cardiac stimulants and fluid replacement can be given as appropriate to improve blood circulation and resolve the acidosis as quickly as possible.