Experimentally induced lactic acidosis in Nubian goats: Clinical, biochemical and pathological investigations

Abstract

Experimental lactic acidosis in goats was successfully produced experimentally using sorghum flour at a dose rate of 50 g/kg body weight given intraruminally through a fixed rumen cannula. The dose resulted in the development of acute and peracute classical clinical signs of lactic acidosis. Mild clinical signs were produced when a smaller dose (40 g/kg body weight) of sorghum flour was used. When a large dose (60 g/kg body weight) was used, the goats developed a severe form of the disease, and died within 24 hours post-dosing. The dose rate of 50 g/kg body weight which was found to produce the clinical disease, caused severe haematological and intraruminal biochemical changes, destruction of the ruminal microfauna, changes in the microflora, and marked histopathological changes in the rumen and liver sections.