Veterinarians treating dairy cattle commonly diagnose displacement of the abomasum. However, displacement of the abomasum (DA) is a relatively recent phenomenon with respect to the development of the veterinary profession. The earliest reported casesof DA were by Carougeau and Prestat in 1898 and Fincher in 1927, but this disease did not become commonly reported until after the 1940's.1"7 Prior to that time, DA's either did not occur, were not diagnosed, or were not described as such. Begg reportedthree cases of left sided displacement of the abomasum (LDA) of which one cow died of peritonitis following surgical reduction of the abomasum and two cows returned to normal after withholding all food for 48 hours.3 Jones described manual correction ofLDA without stabilization of the abomasum in two cows.4 The incidence of diagnosis of displacement of the abomasum increased greatly after the mid-1960's and is now an internationally recognized problem of dairy cows. Displacement of the abomasum is commonly referred to as a "disease of high milk production". This statement may be justified in that as dairy cows have been selected for genetic improvement based primarily on milk production, these same cows may have been selected into a high-risk group for development of DA. Presumably, displacement of the abomasum has existed for many centuries and was simply not recognized. The justification for this supposition is based on the fact that DA's are observed in calves, young stock, adult bulls, and beef cows. Only recently has research been directed more toward identification of risk factors and institution of prevention strategies rather than comparisons of specific treatment techniques. This article will focus on the clinical syndrome of DA and will summarize available information regarding risk factors and prediction variables associated with development of displacement of the abomasum.
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