Applied Animal Nutrition-I

UREA TOXICITY

• When urea is fed at excessive levels, large amounts of ammonia are liberated in the rumen.
• Eventually, the pH of the ruminal fluid increases, thus facilitating the passage of ammonia across the rumen wall.
• If the levels of ammonia absorbed are greater than the capacity of the liver to convert ammonia to urea, ammonia accumulates in the blood which when exceeds 1 mg per 100 ml in cattle; the animal is under toxic condition.
• Symptoms of ammonia toxicity may include tetany, dyspnoea, bloat, excessive salivation, ataxia, convulsions and bellowing.
• The common treatment consists of drenching 20-40 liters of cold water.
• Another way of curing is by drenching 4 liters of dilute acetic acids along with cold water.