Sub-acute ruminal acidosis: an interdisciplinary approach to understand and prevent a multifactorial disease

Aims & Objectives
To lower the incidence and severity of sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) and thereby to improve both economics and dairy cow welfare.

Expected Outcomes

• To understand why SARA is prevalent on some farms but not on others by gaining better understanding of  management and nutritional factors associated with variation in the incidence of SARA
• Improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in the development of SARA in dairy and beef cattle.
• Identification of potential probiotics that may protect cattle from SARA
• Development of simple non-invasive methods for monitoring animal behaviour relating to SARA that may be useful in preventing the condition.

Start Date             
July 2012

Completion Date
January 2016

Lead Contractor
University of Aberdeen

Funders
BBSRC
AHDB Dairy
QMS
Harbro
AB Vista
Chr Hansen

For further information please contact: jenny.gibbons@ahdb.org.uk or call 024 7647 8689

Information on SARA can be found on the Rowett Institute website