From: "Paleo Phil" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 10:31 PM
Subject: Weevils, worms and maggots: the natural consumers of grains


A corn diet can also give a cow acidosis. Unlike that in our own highly
acidic stomachs, the normal pH of a rumen is neutral. Corn makes it
unnaturally acidic, however, causing a kind of bovine heartburn, which in
some cases can kill the animal but usually just makes it sick.<<<<<

I'm just a dumb old shepherd but we call this problem "grain overload" and 
it's more prevailent in feedlot lambs where lambs are finished at mutton 
weights then called lambs at local food markets.

http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/lambdisease.html
Acidosis:
This is a very common problem in lambs consuming a high grain diet, usually 
when finishing for market. Acidosis can affect any age sheep, but most 
breeding animals do not receive high enough levels of grain for it to be of 
a practical problem (unless of course they obtain unwanted access to high 
levels of grains).

Acidosis is simply the over-consumption of highly fermentable starch or 
carbohydrates. Known also as grain overload. What happens when sheep over 
consume grain is that more lactic acid is produced through bacterial 
breakdown of the starch than bacteria can utilize or remove from the rumen. 
This excess lactic acid then decreases the pH (makes it more acidic) of the 
rumen. This results in an upset rumen, diarrhea, lowering of feed 
consumption, a fever, etc. Also, some of the excess lactic acidic can be 
absorbed into the bloodstream, lowering the pH of the blood. This can cause 
foundering and even liver damage.

Lactic acidosis can be a serious health concern, and can cause death, in 
serious cases, and founder, and poor growth in less extreme cases. The best 
prevention of acidosis is to take the time to properly adjust lambs to high 
grain diets. It takes two to three weeks to move a lamb up from a primarily 
forage diet to a high grain diet. It actually is time needed for the 
microbial population to shift to utilize the lactic acid being produced. Do 
not increase the amount of grain more than one-fourth pound per lamb per day 
when working the grain content of a diet up. Also, keep grains in a secure 
area so escaping sheep do not have access to overindulge on them.

If sheep do get acidosis, the best treatment is to try to neutralize the 
acid in the rumen. This is done with baking soda diluted with water and 
physically drenching the sheep or the free choice feeding of it (if they 
will eat it). Also, treating the sheep with an anti-inflammatory agent 
(banamine or aspirin) will help reduce fever and founder problems. Treating 
them with an antibiotic is also recommended.