author(s)
G Kamalakar, BN Nagaraja, L Suresh, A Sahadev, N Prakash and V Mahesh

abstract
Rumen impaction with plastics is one of the emerging threats to stray cattle populations typically in urban and semi-urban areas. The present study was carried out to record the occurrence of rumen impaction in cattle presented to the college hospital in two years. Among 1,248 cattle presented, 40 cows were diagnosed to be suffering from rumen impaction. The overall occurrence of rumen impaction was found to be 3.20%, sixteen (1.28%) cows underwent rumenotomy and plastics were found in seven (0.56%) cases. Holstein-Friesian breed cattle were at more risk comprising 65% of all impacted cases and adult cows of 4 – 8 years age were more affected by rumen impaction with plastics. Physiologically, half of the cows were in milch and non-pregnants and all of them were suffering for the last 10 – 12 days. The majority of them were of medium body condition followed by a good and medium condition. The cows presented in monsoon followed by spring season were found to be more affected by rumen impaction. It is to conclude that, though stray cattle were having more risk of plastic impaction, the clinical cases presented to the dispensaries or college hospitals were less. This is because of commercialization of dairy industry at urban areas like Bengaluru.