Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária - UTL Repository - Universidade ...

Abstract
Contribution for the study of abomasal displacement in a Montemor-o-Velho dairy
farm
Abomasal displacement is the pathology that most frequently requires abdominal surgery in
dairy cattle, although it may affect cattle of all ages and sexes. The displacement can occur
both to the left and the right, being this last at times complicated by torsion or abomasal
volvulus. Between the two of them, it is the displacement to the left that occurs more often.
Despite having been discovered in the 20 th century, its multifactorial etiology makes it difficult
to control. It’s a peripartum pathology and is thus directly associated with nutritional
management programs, in particular those of the transitional period.
Contributes that are considered essential for the abomasal displacement are atony and gas
accumulation in the abomasum, which consequently lead to organ distension. Many risk
factors favour the occurrence of abomasal displacement, namely: feeding management, with
particular focus on the forage-concentrate ratio, NDF levels, crude fiber and particles sizes;
age, sex and genetics (breed and corporal depth), weather conditions and concomitant
diseases (ketosis, hypocalcaemia, retained placenta, metritis, fatty liver, mastitis, claw
problems)
Its clinical signs are common to many diseases, being very important the marked drop in milk
production. The diagnosis is based on auscultation associated to percussion, resulting in an
audible metallic resonance. It can also be made by auscultation associated to ballottment,
which allows the listening of fluid-splashing sounds. The safest displacement correction and
the one which avoids the most relapses is the surgical one, for which many techniques have
been described. Productive losses and the expenses related to veterinary monitoring make
this a particularly important pathology, economics-wise.
Its prevention depends on the control of the many risk-factors mentioned above, in an
attempt to provide a good adaptation of the digestive system, avoiding unbalanced nutrition
(mainly energetic, protein-wise and calcium-wise), immunosuppression during the peripartum
period and the reduction in dry matter ingestion.
Key words: abomasal displacement, dairy cattle, peripartum, nutritional management,
concomitant diseases.
vii