Study of laminitis in sheep with ruminal lactic acidosis experimentally induced

Abstract

The sheep industry for meat production is rising in Brazil and this causes increase in the number of confined animals, aiming bigger weight gain in a shorter time. This situation predisposes sheeps to disorders like ruminal lactic acidosis and, consequently, laminitis, that generate economic losses due to treatment costs, lower productivity of the herd, discard of animals, besides affecting adversely the welfare of them. In this respect, the developing of more trustworthy diagnostic methods, able to identify this disease at an early evolutionary stage can help in a faster and more efficient prophylaxis, thus, minimizing economic losses. This study aims to verify the efficacy of infrared thermography and radiological evaluation as early diagnostic tools of laminitis in sheeps with rumenal lactic acidosis experimentally induced. It will also be evaluated the alterations in hemogasometry, plasmatic glucose and lactate levels, urinary pH, ruminal fluid parameters and eletrophoretic profile of serum proteins. (AU)