INDIGESTION

Definition: 

It is a general digestive disorder characterized mostly by sudden feed changes, irregular feeding or deterioration in feed quality. It comes from the inability of the rumen to adapt to new feeds. In such cases, mild anorexia, decrease in rumen movements, mild diarrhea or constipation are observed.

Causes of Occurrence:

The animals are suddenly transferred from pasture to barn stock without having a period of getting used to the feed, Sudden transitions from a diet based entirely on hay (silage) to a diet based on factory feed, The feeding schedule is not regular, Sudden transitions between two rations with different contents, Deterioration of the energy/protein balance of the ration due to excessive feeding of the factory feed to the animals,

Treatment and Prevention:

In the feeding program, the amount of factory feed should be reduced to provide a short adaptation period of a few days and the animals should have as much dry grass as they can eat in front of them. Sudden changes should not be made when switching to factory-based diets. Transitions should be gradual, an adaptation period should be allowed. This period should be about 2 weeks and the amount of factory feed should be increased gradually during this period. It should not be forgotten that the ratio of straw (silage) and factory feed should be at the level of 50%: 50% in the feeding of lactating cows.