Impaction in dairy animals refers to the failure of digestion, slow passage and accumulation of feed in one or more of the stomach compartments leading to constipation or absence of dung. Ruminal Impaction is of two types.

Primary impaction –

It refers of accumulation of poor-quality roughages in any of the forestomach compartments. Sometimes ingestion of inanimate or indigestible substance like ropes a polyethene is associated with such impaction in sporadic cases in herd.

Secondary impaction –

Any inflammation of gut or associated organ which decease gut motility lead to secondary impaction.

Synonyms

Acid indigestion
Rumen acidosis
Lacto acidosis

Diagnosis

History of eating excessive carbohydrate food, crushed grain or decomposed silage

Clinical signs

Dullness, depression Anorexia, Increased Pulse rate
Rumen distended with fluid
Sluggish ruminal motility

Forms of Rumen Acidosis

Acute rumen acidosis
Sub-acute rumen acidosis
Chronic rumen acidosis

Clinical Pathology

1) Rumen fluid Ph is 5 or below

2) Rumen protozoa- no or less in no.

3) Rumen bacteria – predominance of gm+ve (s. bovis)

4) Urine Ph acidic and proteinuria

Treatment

Evacuate ruminal content by lavage / (washing out) or rumenotomy & introduce rumen liquor from healthy animal

Rumenotomy to remove impacted material i.e. plastic, ropes, gunny bag & leather piece diagnosed by x-ray or ultrasound

Restrict water for 12 -14 hr but provide straw

Correction of PH

1. Use of saline purgative

Magnesium carbonate or oxide or hydroxide sodium bicarbonate

2. Saline purgative – magnesium sulphate

3. Use of systemic alkaline

Sodium bicarbonate (2.5-5%)
500ml – 1 litre Intravenous

4. Use of oral antibiotics

Penicillium 50-100 lakh 1.v
Tetracycline -8 – 10 gm.
Erythromycin (10-20 gm. dissolve in 5-10 l water)

5. Dextrose saline 5% solution

2-5 l / 4 to restore fluid loss

6. Rumen massage, rumen tonics, liver extract, antihistamine & thiamine hydrochloride (2-4 gm).

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