too much corn

[dph]

We have a couple of yearling bulls that got out through a gate left open and got into some corn under a bin unloading auger. It took us awhile to find out about it. I called the vet, it was dark, and he suggested we keep an eye on them and give them banamine in the morning. Corn is coming through one like it would through a goose, but they appear to have no loss of appetite and never appeared "drunk" or mopey. It has been 48 hours now. He told me since everything was going through him, he was still eating and drinking, (no obvious signs of acidocios) we were in the clear. No need to worry about foundering. Is this correct? I searched this topic, but never really found the info I was wanting to give me peace of mind.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Having the corn come thru them whole is totally normal. If they eat it whole, it will come out whole, but the nutrients are taken out.
If they ate TOO much, they would have scoured by the next morning. Since they aren't scouring & are eating normal, I also would assume you are in the clear. Should not be worried about founder. Obviously, they did not eat too much. IMO

 

[Susie David]

I wouldn't worry now...the return to normal rations tightened them up? Whole corn is slow to break sown in the rumen and has to be cracked (chewed) to be asorbed, I would think that most of the corn just passed right on through. I read a study from the U of Iowa that said that cows chew enough to assist digestion so I bought a ton of whole corn to test the theory...our cows didn't read the report and passed about 90% of it whole....continue to feed cracked corn.
DMc

 

[dun]

I wouldn't worry now...the return to normal rations tightened them up? Whole corn is slow to break sown in the rumen and has to be cracked (chewed) to be asorbed, I would think that most of the corn just passed right on through. I read a study from the U of Iowa that said that cows chew enough to assist digestion so I bought a ton of whole corn to test the theory...our cows didn't read the report and passed about 90% of it whole....continue to feed cracked corn.
DMc

Might want to look at more research. Just because you can see the kernal doesn;t mean it wasn;t processed. Cracked corn comes out looking pretty much like it goes in too. If ground corn was a brighter color you'ld see it also.
Reliable studys from a number of places has placed the difference between whole and cracked in the neighborhood of 7% and cracked to ground at another 7% or so. If you can get cracked corn for only 7% over the cost of whole then it would pay. Whole takes up more storage space though

dun

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

Might want to look at more research. Just because you can see the kernal doesn;t mean it wasn;t processed. Cracked corn comes out looking pretty much like it goes in too. If ground corn was a brighter color you'ld see it also.

dun

Rumen digestion is based on microbes/bacteria -- the rumen microbes DO take the food value out whole corn. Research shows that even though the corn may come through "looking" undigested, when analyzed, it was totally depleted of it's starch content. The rumen microbes extract the starch for their use, then the cow digests the microbes -- which provide complete protein that is then converted into meat/milk.

Ann B

 

[jt]

I wouldn't worry now...the return to normal rations tightened them up? Whole corn is slow to break sown in the rumen and has to be cracked (chewed) to be asorbed, I would think that most of the corn just passed right on through. I read a study from the U of Iowa that said that cows chew enough to assist digestion so I bought a ton of whole corn to test the theory...our cows didn't read the report and passed about 90% of it whole....continue to feed cracked corn.
DMc

the fact that it comes out whole bothers a lot of folks, but any seed (grass, weed etc) that a cow eats comes out whole and will sprout.. to me that puts the corn issue into a perspective that i can understand.

jt

 

[Susie David]

Thanks folks...I'll need to dig out that article and the old text books....

 

[Scotty]

If you can get them up give them some rumenant paste of sorts. i would keep tough hay out and that alsone till they tighten up.
The corn shouldn't hurt too much, but watch like a hawk.


Scotty

 

[dph]

Thanks for the advice all.

 

[Wilson_Cattle_Company]

I would agree. I wouldn't do anything. Just leave them be right now. Just feel lucky that they ain't foundered, or mopey.

Avery

 

[Medic24]

Am told...don't yet know if it is true, but if whole corn is fed to a cow consistantly in any amount, that the rumen will eventually adjust it's 'flora' to be able to digest even the whole corn to the point of being unable to distinguish it in a manure pile from anything else.

makes sense...but just don't know.........yet. :cboy: