Co-Authors:
Silanikove, N., Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50·250, Israel
Tiomkin, D., ‘Hachaklait’, Haifa, Israel
Abstract:
During clinical investigation of a commercial herd it was found that intake of supplemented poultry litter (PL) by beef cows at >10 kg/day, was associated with severe cachexia and a mortality rate of between 10 and 20% of cows. Postmortem analysis of 40 fresh carcasses and elevated serum levels of cholesterol, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase in cachetic cows indicated that the cows suffered severe liver damage. The interrelationship between liver damage and PL intake was subsequently investigated in three groups of 20 beef cows each, consuming 0, 3 and 10 kg PL respectively. As determined by the serum indices, intake of 3 kg PL seemed to be sufficient to cause liver damage, although these cows appeared healthy. In another experiment, six beef cows were stall-fed a diet giving separate access to PL and wheat straw. PL intakes were 3·1,4·7 and 6·0 kg/day. Ruminal ammonia concentration was three to five times higher than the estimate of that required for maximal fermentation in the rumen. The high pH values (6·81 to 6·97) found are optimal for absorption of ammonia from the rumen. The combination of excess absorption of ammonia from the gut and low metabolizable energy intake might have been the cause of liver damage. © 1992, British Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved.
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