In either left or right abomasal displacement, the entrance and exit to the stomach are slightly kinked. Most left displacements occur within one month after calving. Heavy yielding and older dairy cows are usually affected. Right displacements are spread out more throughout the three months after calving. Cause Abomasal displacement is seen almost exclusively in dairy breeds.
Several theories attempt to explain the condition, but no definite single cause is known.
Heavy concentrate and low roughage feeding programs produce an enlarged abomasum while rumen size decreases. Such diets in late pregnancy may play a role in producing the condition. Heavy grain feeding and sudden changes in levels of grain feeding are often suspected. Incidence of abomasal displacements has increased tremendously in the last two decades, a period of rapidly improving management and feeding practices. This condition seems to be a bad side-effect of otherwise good animal husbandry practices.