Subacute Rumen Acidosis in Greek Dairy Sheep: Prevalence, Impact and Colorimetry Management
Nikolaos Voulgarakis,
Dimitrios A. Gougoulis,
Dimitra Psalla,
Georgios I. Papakonstantinou,
Konstantinos Katsoulis,
Mariana Angelidou-Tsifida,
Labrini V. Athanasiou,
Vasileios G. Papatsiros,
Georgios Christodoulopoulos
Affiliations
Nikolaos Voulgarakis
Clinical Veterinary Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 431 00 Karditsa, Greece
Dimitrios A. Gougoulis
Clinical Veterinary Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 431 00 Karditsa, Greece
Dimitra Psalla
Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Georgios I. Papakonstantinou
Clinical Veterinary Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 431 00 Karditsa, Greece
Konstantinos Katsoulis
Department of Animal Husbandry and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 431 00 Karditsa, Greece
Mariana Angelidou-Tsifida
Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Labrini V. Athanasiou
Clinical Veterinary Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 431 00 Karditsa, Greece
Vasileios G. Papatsiros
Clinical Veterinary Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 431 00 Karditsa, Greece
Georgios Christodoulopoulos
Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 118 55 Athens, Greece
Subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) is a current issue in intensive livestock farming, and it is particularly associated with feeding high-concentrate diets. This study investigated the prevalence and impact of SARA in forty-two Greek dairy sheep flocks by recording rumen pH, milk composition, and milk yield over a period of nine months. Moreover, it explored the use of computerized rumen colorimetry as a management and diagnostic tool for SARA in dairy sheep. In culled ewes, computerized rumen mucosal colorimetry was applied, and rumen wall samples taken for histological examination. SARA cases were identified in 19 farms (45%, n = 42). Farms with SARA cases had lower milk fat levels, while milk yield and milk protein levels did not differ based on the SARA status of the farms. In culled ewes, rumen color was significantly associated with the flock’s SARA status, and affected ewes showed increased thickness in non-keratinized and total epithelial layers. It was concluded that computerized rumen mucosal colorimetry in aged, culled ewes shows promise as an indicator, post mortem, of SARA present in dairy sheep flocks whose impact can be minimized by making significant changes in dietary management.
