Rumen health
and animal
performance:
What you need
to know.

For feedlot owners and operators, animal performance and gain are the number-one concerns. The primary driver of energy and performance is the rumen. The healthier the rumen, the healthier the animal, meaning more growth, gain and profit.

Importance of
the rumen.

At the heart of an animal’s overall
health and performance is the
rumen, the second and most
dynamic of the four compartments
of the stomach in cattle.

Quick Facts
Quick Facts
The rumen has a
forty-gallon volume, hosting
billions of microbes
Cattle get most of their
energy from the rumen
A stable, healthy rumen
drives health and performance
Video
Video
Importance of the Rumen
Digestive System Overview

The healthy rumen
and production
of VFAs.

The rumen’s microbes begin the
fermentation process and produce
volatile fatty acids, which are
absorbed and converted into
energy substrates — the animal’s
primary sources of gain.

Quick Facts
Quick Facts
In a healthy rumen, the VFAs
produced are easily absorbed
through the rumen wall
Rumen health is partially
measured by its pH level
A healthy rumen stays stable in a
pH range of 5.6 to 7.0.
Video
Video
Healthy Rumen and VFAs
Types of VFAs
How VFAs Are Used for Energy

What causes
an imbalanced rumen.

The energy-dense, high-starch
grains in a traditional feedlot
increase the amount and types of
VFAs produced. This can produce
too much acid too fast, causing
an imbalance in the rumen and
drop in pH level.

Quick Facts
Quick Facts
High-starch diets produce VFAs faster than they can be absorbed, leading to a drop in pH level
Video
Video
An Imbalanced Rumen
Rumen Health and pH

Acidosis and cyclical feeding.

Subacute acidosis happens at a pH
 of 5.6, which causes the feedlot
animal to feel unwell and reduce its
feed intake. Once the pH sustains a
level of 5.4, the animal is in full
acidosis and can stop eating
altogether.

Quick Facts
Quick Facts
Subacute and acute acidosis takes a toll on rumen health and energy intake
As pH drops and acid load increases, the animal eats less and less often
After several hours to a full day, the animal recovers and eats again, in a cyclical pattern
Video
Video
Cyclical Feeding
Rumen pH
External Signs of Health

Sweet Bran and
RAMP benefits.

RAMP and Sweet Bran replace a
portion of the grains in a typical
diet with a high-energy, high-fiber
source, promoting a balanced
rumen, consistent eating patterns
and greater gain.

Quick Facts
Quick Facts
High-starch load is
replaced with high-energy,
digestible fiber
VFAs are produced at a rate
that can be easily absorbed,
keeping pH stable
Animals eat more over a 24-
hour period, producing more
energy and gain
Video
Video
Sweet Bran and RAMP Overview
Benefits of Sweet Bran and RAMP
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