Displaced abomasum

What is a displaced abomasum?

The abomasum is the fourth stomach of cattle and corresponds to the human stomach. It normally lies at the bottom right of the abdomen. In a displaced abomasum, it fills with gas, rises and moves to another position.

• Left displacement: the abomasum slips under the rumen and ends up between the rumen and the left abdominal wall. This is the most common form.
• Right displacement: the abomasum rises on the right side. It is less common but more dangerous, because the abomasum can twist. A twisted abomasum is an emergency.

Why does it happen after calving?

Most cases occur in the first weeks after calving. Several things come together at that time. After the birth there is suddenly a lot of space in the abdomen. At the same time, feed intake is low and the rumen is poorly filled, so it can no longer hold the abomasum in place. When the abomasum moves little, gas builds up and it rises.

This is made more likely by:

• low feed intake around calving
• milk fever, including subclinical milk fever, because the stomach muscles lack calcium to work
• ketosis and a deep negative energy balance
• overconditioned cows with a BCS above 3.5
• little structure and a lot of starch in the ration
• other conditions such as metritis or mastitis that reduce appetite

How these conditions are linked is explained in Clinical and subclinical symptoms.

How do you recognise a displaced abomasum?

• The cow eats less, often refusing concentrate in particular, while she still tends to take forage.
• Milk yield drops clearly.
• There is less dung, often dark and pasty or diarrhoea-like.
• The left flank hollow is sunken, and sometimes the last ribs on the left bulge out.
• Ketone levels in the urine or milk are often raised at the same time.

The vet makes the definite diagnosis. When listening to the abdominal wall while tapping it, a typical high-pitched ping can be heard over the gas-filled abomasum, like tapping on a tin can.

Treatment

A displaced abomasum belongs in the hands of the vet. Depending on the case, the abomasum is put back and fixed in place surgically, or the cow is rolled. Accompanying conditions such as ketosis or calcium deficiency are treated at the same time. The earlier it is spotted, the better the outlook.

Prevention

Prevention mainly means keeping feed intake high around calving. That includes good dry cow feeding without cows getting overconditioned, a separate close-up group, measures to lower the risk of milk fever and a ration with enough structure. It helps to build up concentrate slowly after calving. Talk to your nutritionist about how to put this into practice.

Freshly calved cows should start eating quickly and well. Good rumen fill straight after calving, for example by giving her water to drink or by drenching, supports this. Read more in The advantages of drenching. Keep an eye on feed intake, rumination and milk yield of every fresh cow in the first two to three weeks. With robot or sensor data, a cow that is eating less stands out early.

Consequences for the farm

A displaced abomasum costs milk, vet bills and labour. Affected cows more often have further problems in the same lactation and are more often culled early. If several cases occur in a herd, the cause almost always lies in the feeding of dry cows and fresh cows.

Frequently asked questions

All terms in the glossary