Managing sub-acute ruminal acidosis in dairy cows

High concentrate diets and acidic clamp silage are some of the main causes of sub-acute ruminal acidosis in dairy cows

Katie Fallon
Livestock Specialist
clock • 3 min read
To prevent SARA, Debby Brown advises ensuring diets contain enough fibre and regularly sampling forages to combat acidic silages before they are fed to the herd.
Image:

To prevent SARA, Debby Brown advises ensuring diets contain enough fibre and regularly sampling forages to combat acidic silages before they are fed to the herd.

A relatively common nutritional condition seen among the UK's dairy herds, sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a result of the rumen pH dropping below six for a prolonged period of time. Resulting...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

Login

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

 

More on Dairy

Why you need to step up udder health post-calving

Why you need to step up udder health post-calving

While cases of mastitis are falling on a national level, producers should not take their eye off the ball when it comes to udder health in and around the transition period

clock 22 June 2026 • 5 min read
Milk fever prevention: How dairy farmers can cut cases and improve cow health

Milk fever prevention: How dairy farmers can cut cases and improve cow health

Milk fever cases have fallen steadily in recent years but remains a significant health challenge on many UK dairy farms according to the 2025 Kingshay Dairy Costings Focus report

clock 20 June 2026 • 6 min read
Shropshire dairy farm sees calf health boost after tackling bovine coronavirus

Shropshire dairy farm sees calf health boost after tackling bovine coronavirus

A dairy farmer in Shropshire has reported significant improvements in calf health and survival after identifying bovine coronavirus in his herd and taking targeted action

clock 17 June 2026 • 5 min read