Rumen fermentation characteristics and risk factors on rumen reticulum lesions in slaughtered cattle in Van province

daha sonra dolduIn this study, the rumen fermentation characteristics of cattle slaughtered in Van slaughterhouses were identified, and the effects of risk factors such as age, breed, feeding practices, fattening duration, presence of foreign bodies, and rumen fermentation products on the formation of rumen lesions were evaluated. For this purpose, a total of 85 cattle brought for slaughter were used as study material, and data regarding the breed, age, fattening duration, and feeding practices of the animals were recorded. During postmortem examination, upon opening the abdominal region, rumen fluid samples were collected to determine rumen fermentation characteristics. Additionally, the contents of the rumen and reticulum were analyzed, foreign bodies were classified, and lesions were macroscopically identified. Rumen tissue samples were collected, 1 cm2 from the right side of the left side of the cranial ventral sac, because in this ruminal portion the epithelium is in longer contact with ruminal fluid and subsequently fixed in 10% buffered formalin with a pH of 7.2. Rumen pH value was determined to be the most statistically significant protective factor against the presence of lesions (p<0.001). Each unit increase in pH was found to reduce the probability of lesion formation by approximately 97.6% (OR=0.024). Conversely, a one-unit decrease in rumen acetic acid concentration leads to a 1.053-fold increase (1/0.95 = 1.053) in the likelihood of lesion formation in the rumen. Foreign bodies (such as nylon rope, plastic bags, nails, and wire pieces) were detected in 14.12% (12 head) of the cattle examined in the study. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that papilla width significantly reduced the probability of foreign body presence (OR=0.118, p≤0.0298). Specifically, a 1 cm decrease in papilla width increases the likelihood of finding a foreign body by 8.475 times. While age (≤24 months and ≥24 months) did not have a significant effect on fermentation parameters, fattening duration was found to have significant effects on papilla length (p≤0.0128) and acetic acid concentration (p≤0.05). A strong positive correlation was detected between the presence of lesions and macroscopic deformations of the ventral sac (hemorrhage, ulcer, wart/papilloma) and papilla shape. Furthermore, ruminal parakeratosis was observed in 11 cattle, and the trematode parasite Paramphistomum cervi was found in 5 cattle. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that feeding regimes and roughage quality are of critical importance for maintaining rumen health in cattle, particularly for keeping rumen pH at an optimal level and supporting epithelial integrity (papilla width).