Observations on Acidosis Through Continual Feed Intake and Ruminal pH Monitoring

Abstract

A system of continual data acquisition of feed intake and ruminal pH has been developed for studying subacute acidosis in finishing steers. Feed intake is monitored with feedbunks which are suspended from weigh cells. Ruminal pH is monitored with submersible pH electrodes suspended in the rumen. Numerous anecdotal observations of subacute acidosis have been made throughout the feeding periods of several steers, providing information unlikely to be recognized during a planned trial. Therefore, this model for studying subacute acidosis offers many unique opportunities for enhancing our understanding of the interactions between feed intake and acidosis.