Liver Abscesses and the Role of CO₂ Holdup
Liver abscesses are a significant challenge in cattle, reducing production efficiency and causing substantial economic losses. Traditionally, diet-induced ruminal acidosis (low rumen pH) has been considered the primary cause. However, emerging evidence suggests that CO₂ holdup may play a critical — and previously underestimated — role in liver abscess development.
Current Understanding
High-grain diets increase the risk by driving rapid fermentation and excessive CO₂ production in the rumen.
Ruminal acidosis, historically attributed to lactic acid and other fermentation acids, was thought to be the main driver of ruminal damage.
Barrier damage in the rumen epithelium enables bacterial translocation into the bloodstream, where bacteria can colonize the liver and form abscesses.
The CO₂ Holdup Hypothesis
Even without a significant pH drop, excessive dissolved CO₂ (dCO₂) can accumulate in the rumen.
Elevated dCO₂ induces hyperaemia (increased blood flow to the ruminal epithelium) and contributes to hyperosmolarity of the ruminal fluid.
Hyperaemia and hyperosmolarity weaken the ruminal barrier, facilitating bacterial entry into circulation.
If these bacteria evade clearance by hepatic Kupffer cells, they can establish liver abscesses.
Implications for Prevention
Monitor dCO₂ levels: Continuous ruminal dCO₂ monitoring can detect when diet formulation or feeding practices predispose animals to CO₂ holdup.
Enable early intervention: Identifying rising dCO₂ allows dietary or management adjustments before hyperaemia and epithelial disruption occur.
Tailor diets dynamically: Real-time dCO₂ data supports precision feeding strategies that minimize excessive fermentation and CO₂ accumulation.
Benefits of dCO₂ Monitoring Technology
Our patented ATR-IR sensor provides:
Accurate, continuous dCO₂ measurement
Early warnings of ruminal imbalance and CO₂ holdup
Non-invasive monitoring of diet and feeding management effects on rumen physiology
When integrated with automated diet management systems, this technology can deliver a powerful solution for proactive rumen health management and liver abscess prevention.
