[Significance of ruminal juice examination in the diagnosis of subclinical rumen dysfunction]

The suitability of the metabolic test of rumen liquor for the diagnosis of subclinical rumen dysfunction was tested. The test for the assessment of the metabolic profile of the rumen included: the determination of pH, total titration acidity in clinical units, lactic acid in mg%, fatty acids in mmol 1-1, ammonia N in mg%, urea N in mg% and the number of infusorians in 1 ml of rumen liquor. This test enabled, on the basis of the examination of rumen liquor, to determine not only the kind and form of the disease but also its cause, with an incomplete clinical syndrome. Therapeutic measures, either direct (in the rumen liquor) or indirect (adjusted monodiet) improved the health condition and provided optimum rumen fermentation of permanent character. The resuption of rumen fermentation also enabled an increased production of fatty acids which favourably influenced the content of butterfat in milk.