AMMONIA IN RUMINAL AND ABOMASAL CONTENTS OF COWS WITH ABOMASAL DISPLACEMENT

Ruminal and abomasal ammonia concentrations were determined in cows wi th left displaced abomasum (LDA), right displaced abomasum (RDA), or a bomasal volvulus (AV) before the abomasum was corrected, as well as on e and three days later, and compared with those from healthy control c ows fed hay or hay and concentrates. In LDA, RDA and AV, ruminal and a bomasal ammonia concentrations before correction of the position of th e abomasum significantly exceeded ammonia concentrations in control co ws during hay diet. In LDA, ruminal and abomasal ammonia concentration before correction did not differ from control cows during hay/concent rate diet, whereas in RDA and AV, ruminal and abomasal ammonia signifi cantly exceeded control cows during hay/concentrate diet. Ammonia conc entrations significantly differed between forms of displacement before correction and one day after correction, with LDA showing lowest, RDA intermediate and AV highest ruminal ammonia values, and LDA and RDA s howing lower abomasal ammonia values than AV. However, three days afte r correction, ruminal and abomasal ammonia concentrations did not diff er between LDA, RDA and AV. Up to the third day after correction, rumi nal and abomasal ammonia concentrations significantly decreased in LDA , RDA and AV. On the third day after correction, ruminal and abomasal ammonia concentrations in LDA, RDA and AV did not differ from control cows during hay diet, and were significantly lower than in control cow s during hay/concentrate diet. These findings suggest disturbances in the protein metabolism of cows with abomasal displacement.