Abstract:
During a routine flock visit, a farmer observed that one of the eight tooth Bapedi rams had
been losing body condition despite being separated from the flock and fed supplementary
feed. The ram’s body condition score was assessed as 2 out of 5 (one point less than the average
of the rest of the rams) and the teeth appeared normal with no excessive wear. The rumen was
assessed by auscultation, palpation and ballottement where a foreign body (approximately
20 cm × 5 cm – 10 cm) was clearly palpated and ballotted. A rumenotomy was performed
and a large mass of tightly compacted foreign matter and plant material was removed. The
mass consisted of synthetic fibre, plant material and calcium phosphate (50.5%). It appeared
to have formed as the result of the ingestion of a synthetic fibre which formed the nidus of
a concretion. This was probably the result of deficient nutrition, with the rams eating the
synthetic fibre in an attempt to increase feed intake. The ram recovered uneventfully after the
rumenotomy was performed and supplementary feeding.
