Oral antacid treatment in clinical rumen acidosis.

pH changes were measured in vitro in rumenfluid obtained from a natural case of rumen acidosis after the addition of 8 different antacids. Results showed magnesium oxide to be very potent with the potential danger of causing severe rumen alkalosis. Calcium hydroxide and magnesium carbonate gave satisfactory results while the alkalinising ability of magnesium hydroxide, magnesium trisilicate, calcium carbonate, aluminium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate seemed both slow and ineffective.