Voulgarakis, N.; Gougoulis, D.A.; Psalla, D.; Papakonstantinou, G.I.; Katsoulis, K.; Angelidou-Tsifida, M.; Athanasiou, L.V.; Papatsiros, V.G.; Christodoulopoulos, G. Subacute Rumen Acidosis in Greek Dairy Sheep: Prevalence, Impact and Colorimetry Management. Animals2024, 14, 2061.
Voulgarakis, N.; Gougoulis, D.A.; Psalla, D.; Papakonstantinou, G.I.; Katsoulis, K.; Angelidou-Tsifida, M.; Athanasiou, L.V.; Papatsiros, V.G.; Christodoulopoulos, G. Subacute Rumen Acidosis in Greek Dairy Sheep: Prevalence, Impact and Colorimetry Management. Animals 2024, 14, 2061.
Voulgarakis, N.; Gougoulis, D.A.; Psalla, D.; Papakonstantinou, G.I.; Katsoulis, K.; Angelidou-Tsifida, M.; Athanasiou, L.V.; Papatsiros, V.G.; Christodoulopoulos, G. Subacute Rumen Acidosis in Greek Dairy Sheep: Prevalence, Impact and Colorimetry Management. Animals2024, 14, 2061.
Voulgarakis, N.; Gougoulis, D.A.; Psalla, D.; Papakonstantinou, G.I.; Katsoulis, K.; Angelidou-Tsifida, M.; Athanasiou, L.V.; Papatsiros, V.G.; Christodoulopoulos, G. Subacute Rumen Acidosis in Greek Dairy Sheep: Prevalence, Impact and Colorimetry Management. Animals 2024, 14, 2061.
Abstract
Subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) is a prevalent issue in intensive livestock farming, particularly associated with high-concentrate diets. This study investigates the prevalence and impact of SARA in Greek dairy sheep farming and explores the use of computerized rumen colorimetry as a management and diagnostic tool for SARA in dairy sheep farms. Forty-two dairy sheep flocks were monitored regularly for rumen pH, milk composition, and milk yield over an approximately 9-month milking period. Computerized Rumen Mucosal Colorimetry was applied to 280 culled, aged ewes from these farms, with rumen wall samples taken for histological examination. SARA cases were identified in 19 farms (45%, n=48). Farms with SARA cases had lower milk fat levels, although milk yield was higher in these farms, while milk protein levels did not differ based on the SARA status of the farms. In culled ewes, rumen color was significantly associated with the farm's SARA status. Additionally, ewes from farms with more SARA cases exhibited increased thickness in the ruminal epithelium layers, particularly in the non-keratinized and total epithelium layers. In conclusion, SARA is a common disorder in the Greek dairy sheep industry, lowering the fat content of milk. The study suggests that computerized rumen epithelium colorimetry in aged culled ewes shows promise as a diagnostic tool for SARA in dairy sheep farms.
Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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