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Rumen motility during induced hyper- and hypocalcaemia

R J Jørgensen1, N R Nyengaard, S Hara

  • 1Cattle Research Group, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark. rjj@kvl.dk

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
|October 27, 1998
PubMed
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Low blood calcium significantly impacts rumen function in cows. Even mild hypocalcaemia, or low calcium, rapidly reduces rumen contraction frequency and amplitude, affecting digestion and potentially health.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Animal Physiology
  • Ruminant Nutrition

Background:

  • Milk fever (hypocalcaemia) is a common metabolic disorder in transition dairy cows.
  • Rumen motility is crucial for digestion and overall health in ruminants.
  • Accurate monitoring of rumen function is essential for understanding metabolic disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of varying levels of blood calcium on rumen motility in an experimental cow.
  • To determine the sensitivity of rumen contractions to changes in ionized blood calcium.
  • To assess the clinical implications of hypocalcaemia on rumen function in transition cows.

Main Methods:

  • Rumen motility was continuously monitored using surgically implanted strain gauge force transducers and telemetric signal transfer.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Hypocalcaemia was experimentally induced using intravenous infusion of Na2EDTA.
  • Ionized blood calcium levels and heart rate were measured concurrently with rumen motility recordings.

    • Main Results:

    • Intravenous calcium borogluconate treatment for milk fever caused transient reductions in rumination and rumen contraction frequency (up to 40%).
    • Induced hypocalcaemia led to periods of inactivity and persistent inactivity of rumen motility at specific ionized blood calcium thresholds (0.60 and 0.55 mmol/l, respectively).
    • Severe hypocalcaemia (0.45-0.48 mmol/l) resulted in the cow collapsing and a significant increase in heart rate (40%).
    • Even mild hypocalcaemia (1.0 mmol/l) rapidly decreased both frequency and amplitude of rumen contractions, despite unaffected eating behavior.

    Conclusions:

    • Rumen motility is highly sensitive to changes in ionized blood calcium levels.
    • Subtle decreases in blood calcium can significantly impair rumen function, potentially impacting feed intake and digestion in transition cows.
    • This sensitive monitoring method highlights the critical role of calcium homeostasis in maintaining rumen activity and overall cow health.