Bloat Prevention and Treatment in Cattle

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Bloat Prevention and Treatment in Cattle

Bloat Prevention and Treatment in Cattle Bloat is a form of indigestion marked by excessive accumulation of gas in the rumen. Immediately aft Most of the gases are eliminated by eructation (belching).

Immediately after cattle consume a meal, the digestive process creates gases in the rumen. Any interruption of this normal gas elimination results in gas accumulation or bloat. Bloat can be caused by:

a condition secondary to acidosis indigestion,
certain proteins in forage,
the amount, rate of intake, and coarseness of the roughage,
rate of digestion of grains as a result of processing (grinding

too fine),
host-parasite reaction following grub treatment choking,
enlargement of the lymph nodes between the lungs, which can compress the esophagus or interfere with the function of the vagus nerves, or
an inherited tendency for bloat. Trapped gases that are not eructated (belched) may form a foam or froth in the rumen that further prevents elimination of gases. Froth can be formed by many factors resulting from interactions among the animal, rumen microorganisms, and differences in plant biochemistry. Bloat may also be present with no evident froth or foam, described respectively as frothy (pasture) bloat and non-frothy (dry) bloat. The most common is frothy bloat where gas builds up in a foam or froth above the liquid/semi-liquid fraction of the rumen content and the normal belching is inhibited. Preventing bloat is desirable not only to reduce deaths but also to reduce the negative effect of bloat on cattle performance. Pasture (frothy) bloat can occur in animals grazing wheat pasture or lush legumes (alfalfa, ladino, white clover) or being fed green-chopped legumes. Feedlot (dry) bloat usually refers to bloat in cattle fed high-grain rations that may or may not contain legume forage. It often occurs secondary to acidosis and/or rumenitis. Cattle consuming feedlot diets may have bloat caused by the grain portion being ground too finely. Fine-ground grains are digested rapidly, causing rapid fermentation and gas production. Visual signs of bloat in cattle include:

distension of the left side of the animal as the primary sign,
discomfort as indicated by stomping of feet or kicking at the belly,
labored breathing,
frequent urination and defecation, and
sudden collapse.

31/08/2022

Feedlot bloat is most frequently associated with indigestion caused by acidosis. Death losses are minimal in well-managed feedlots.

Most cases are “subacute” rather than “acute.” In acute cases, distress symptoms such as frequent urination and defecation, labored breathing, and restless movements are evident. In some feedlot cattle, bloat is chronic, occurring repeatedly in a few cattle.

Poloxalene does not appear to be effective in preventing feedlot bloat even though foam (and often, slime) is involved. Ionophores (examples: Rumensin®, Bovatec®, Cattlyst®) improve the feed efficiency of high-grain rations and help reduce overeating and the incidence of grain bloat. Thus, the use of ionophores is highly recommended.

Following are some changes that may prove effective in reducing the frequency and severity of feedlot bloat:

Coarsely chop the hay and mix with grain.
Increase hay to 15 percent of ration dry matter.
Feed 50 percent or more rolled corn, whole corn, or rolled grain sorghum (milo).
Use a coarser grind on corn and grain sorghum.
Substitute low-quality legume or non-legume roughage for alfalfa hay. (Adjust the protein, vitamin, and mineral supplement appropriately.)
Increase the concentration of the ionophore if possible.
Feedlot bloat that occurs on high-concentrate rations usually can be reduced by providing 10 to 15 percent of the ration as coarsely chopped roughage. When separation of the grain or supplement from roughage seems to be involved, change the ration or improve mixing to minimize separation.

31/08/2022

Grazing Management
Never turn hungry livestock into a pasture containing a high proportion of bloat-causing plants.
Fill animals with dry hay or grass pasture before beginning to graze high bloat-potential pastures.
Avoid turning animals onto fresh, high bloat-potential pasture that is moist with dew, rain, or irrigation water. Both rate of intake and initial rate of digestion are higher from moist plants, causing more rapid initial digestion.
Make paddock rotations mid-day or later to help minimize moisture and increase plant carbohydrate concentration.
Avoid dramatic changes in forage quality when rotating from paddock to paddock by leaving adequate residue.
Observe livestock closely the first several days and remove any “chronic-bloating” animals.
Avoid grazing legumes before they begin to bloom. This may not be possible if spring grazing or if grazing season-long. Make closer observations for bloat when many plants are at a younger growth stage.
Manage grazing to encourage livestock to consume low- or non-bloating plants and plant parts rather than just succulent top growth. For example, use daily strip grazing or use high stock density in multiple paddock systems rather than continuous stocking.
Never allow animals grazing high bloat-potential pasture to get so hungry that they consume too much in one feeding. Always have sufficient feed available.
Once grazing begins, don’t remove animals from pasture or make frequent, major changes in the type of pasture being grazed unless animals have greatly distended rumens. Mild bloat is common on high bloat-potential pastures. Frequent diet changes prevent rumen microbes and animals from adapting to bloat pastures.
Be extra observant for cattle bloat when high bloat plants show a rapid flush of growth such as during cloudy, wet periods in the spring and after a plant stress event such as hail or drought.
Delay grazing high bloat-potential plants for three to five days after freeze damage.
Graze with animals that have smaller rumen capacities, like yearlings and calves, rather than mature cows.

31/08/2022

Livestock Diet Supplements
Feed anti-foaming chemicals like poloxalene, which prevents pasture bloat for about 12 hours if consumed in adequate amounts. Begin feeding two to five days before turning onto pasture. Poloxalene can be fed as a topdressing on feed, in a grain mixture, in liquid supplements, or in molasses blocks. Because poloxalene is relatively expensive, some producers reduce the dosage or eliminate its use after livestock have been grazing pasture for several weeks.
Provide supplements or molasses blocks containing bloat-reducing compounds such as an ionophore (example: Rumensin®).
Provide mineral supplements with adequate sodium (salt) and avoid excessive potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Allow livestock free-choice access to portions of pasture windrowed several days prior to grazing or to dry-grass hay, grain, or crop residues while grazing lush, high bloat-potential plants.

31/08/2022

Management Practices to Reduce the Incidence or Severity of Pasture Bloat
Pasture Establishment and Management
Plant mixtures of legume and grass with legumes providing no more than 50 percent of the available forage. Observe plant growth rates and legume-grass proportions throughout the growing season.
Plant non-bloating legumes like birdsfoot trefoil, cicer milkvetch, sainfoin, and lespedeza or lower-risk legumes like sweet clover and red clover.
Avoid patches of palatable, high bloat-potential plants. Interseed these areas with grasses or use herbicides to reduce concentration of high bloat plants.
Fertilize grass/legume pastures with nitrogen to stimulate grass production.

31/08/2022

Bloat is a form of indigestion marked by excessive accumulation of gas in the rumen. Immediately after cattle consume a meal, the digestive process creates gases in the rumen. Most of the gases are eliminated by eructation (belching).
Any interruption of this normal gas elimination results in gas accumulation or bloat. Bloat can be caused by:
a condition secondary to acidosis indigestion
certain proteins in forage
the amount, rate of intake, and coarseness of the roughage
rate of digestion of grains as a result of processing (grinding too fine)
host-parasite reaction following grub treatment choking
enlargement of the lymph nodes between the lungs, which can compress the esophagus or interfere with the function of the vagus nerves
an inherited tendency for bloat
Trapped gases that are not eructated (belched) may form a foam or froth in the rumen that further prevents elimination of gases. Froth can be formed by many factors resulting from interactions among the animal, rumen microorganisms, and differences in plant biochemistry. Bloat may also be present with no evident froth or foam, described respectively as frothy (pasture) bloat and non-frothy (dry) bloat. The most common is frothy bloat where gas builds up in a foam or froth above the liquid/semi-liquid fraction of the rumen content and the normal belching is inhibited.
Preventing bloat is desirable not only to reduce deaths but also to reduce the negative effect of bloat on cattle performance. Pasture (frothy) bloat can occur in animals grazing wheat pasture or lush legumes (alfalfa, ladino, white clover) or being fed green-chopped legumes. Feedlot (dry) bloat usually refers to bloat in cattle fed high-grain rations that may or may not contain legume forage. It often occurs secondary to acidosis and/or rumenitis. Cattle consuming feedlot diets may have bloat caused by the grain portion being ground too finely. Fine-ground grains are digested rapidly, causing rapid fermentation and gas production.
Visual signs of bloat in cattle include: distension of the left side of the animal as the primary sign, discomfort as indicated by stomping of feet or kicking at the belly, labored breathing, frequent urination and defecation, and sudden collapse.

05/05/2022

As it takes in feed, the rumen expands the left flank of the goat, filling a hollow in front of the hip called the paralumbar fossa. A round belly does not mean that a goat is fat or bloated—it is a healthy sign of good feed intake.

05/05/2022

The rumen is an amazingly efficient organ for processing nutrients from vegetable sources, but its complexity makes digestion problems all the more dangerous. This means any digestive issues should be taken very seriously and acted on fast. Goat bloat can very quickly develop and become life threatening.
Belching, belly rumbling, and chewing the cud are signs of a healthy goat digestive system. Goats ferment vegetation inside the rumen through the action of various microbes (bacteria and protozoa). The process releases gas which goats expel through belching. While eating, food rapidly passes down from the mouth through the esophagus to the rumen. When the goat is at rest, cud passes back up to the mouth for more thorough chewing, before passing back down to the rumen for fermentation. If this cycle is interrupted, the goat can be in serious trouble. A buildup of gas that the goat cannot release causes bloat (ruminal tympany).

05/05/2022

What is bloat in goats?
Bloat is the symptom that occurs when a ruminant animal cannot burp.

The rumen produces a lot of gas from the fermentation of food, and goats (as well as all other ruminants) normally get rid of this gas by belching. If something blocks the escape of gas from the rumen, the rumen will begin to expand. You will notice a large bulge on the animal’s left side, as if it had swallowed a soccer ball.
What causes bloat in goats?
There are two major causes of goat bloat.
Obstruction in the goat’s esophagus
One is an obstruction of the esophagus; the goat may have swallowed something large, and it is stuck. In this case, you may be able to feel the obstruction in the throat. If you cannot gently work it down the esophagus, get a veterinarian’s help. You never want to be rough with an obstruction, since you don’t know if it has sharp edges. Under no circumstances should you ever try to push the obstruction down the throat using any kind of instrument. If the obstruction does not feel soft and pliable, do not put any kind of pressure on it, or you may cause serious damage.
Consumption of inappropriate food or diet change
The second major reason for goat bloat is that either the goat has gotten into a source of soluble carbohydrates such as grain, or someone tried to change its diet too quickly. With a quick diet change, rumen microbes cannot deal with that amount of unfamiliar feed. Common sources of soluble carbohydrates are grain, the first fresh clover in the spring, and many weeds and forbs that produce high starch levels in the fall in response to cold nights.

The result of eating too much of these feeds is a shift in the pH of the rumen, resulting in death of the normal microbes, leaving “bad” microbes to increase in number and work on the feed to produce foam. The foam fills up the rumen and blocks the entrance to the esophagus, preventing the escape of gas. (This response is often the result of a mild grain overload or a meal of the first fresh clover of the season, as opposed to a severe overload that could quickly kill the goat.)
What to do about goat bloat
The best course of action is to call your veterinarian. Common traditional treatments include mineral oil to try to settle the foam, but your veterinarian will have much more effective surfactants that will decrease the foam and allow your goat to belch away the problem. Serious cases may require stronger intervention from your veterinarian. The best prevention is to keep the goat separated from food it is not supposed to have, and to make any dietary changes very gradually.

10/06/2021

bloat

10/06/2021

With the recent warm days and the greening of pastures, cattle producers will need to start thinking about the prevention of bloat. Bloat is a digestive disorder characterized by an accumulation of gas in the first two compartments of a ruminant’s stomach (the rumen and reticulum). Production of gas (primarily carbon dioxide and methane) is a normal result of rumen fermentation. These gases are usually discharged by belching; but if the animal’s ability to release these gases is impaired, pressure builds in the reticulum and rumen and bloat occurs. Pasture, or “frothy” bloat, results from the production of a stable foam and if not relieved, the pressure created by the entrapment of rumen fermentation gases in the foam can lead to death by suffocation in as little as one hour or less. Bloat can occur on any lush forage that is low in fiber and highly digestible, but is most common on immature legume (clover and alfalfa) pastures. Bloat can occur after as little as 15 minutes to 1 hour after they are turned out to a bloat-producing pasture. However, there is often a lag of 24 to 48 hours before bloating occurs in cattle that have been placed on a bloat-producing pasture for the first time. Often the animal bloats only mildly and stops eating; therefore, the discomfort is eventually relieved. In more severe bloat, the animal’s rumen is swollen (especially on the left side), it urinates and defecates frequently, bellows and staggers. If the condition continues death is likely caused by suffocation, when the swollen rumen pushes against the diaphragm and prevents inhalation. Bloating usually occurs when hungry cattle are first turned onto legume pastures. It seldom occurs on grasses (or pastures with at least 50 percent grass) or hay. Bloat usually follows a heavy feeding or grazing period. Hungry or aggressive feeders are most susceptible which is why producers often see their “best-doing” cattle develop this condition. Other conditions also increase the incidence such as frost, dew or rain on the field. Bloat incidence is likely to be increased during periods of rapid plant growth in the spring or following a summer rain. Also, adaptation of animals to a particular feed is an important factor. As animals become adjusted to a particular pasture or ration, the rumen microbial population adapts and the animal is less susceptible to bloat. While complete elimination of bloat is not realistic, there are management practices that can significantly reduce the incidence of bloat. These practices include the following: (1) begin grazing in the spring on pastures that are predominantly grass or grass-legume (at least 50 percent grass) mixtures. This will allow the animal and the rumen microflora time to adjust to the pasture. (2) Make sure that the animal is full when first put onto pasture in the spring. Feeding of dry grass hay or corn silage to animals before turnout to fill the rumen can allow the animal and their rumen microbes time to adjust. (3) Animals fed several pounds of supplemental grain before turnout are less likely to bloat. (4) Delay turnout until the forage is dry following a dew or rain. (5) Avoid placing animals on legume pastures after a light frost. Watch animals closely for bloat that are already on these pastures when frost takes place. (6) Check animals for bloat carefully every two hours when beginning grazing. (7) Rotate pastures in a manner that assures animals are not excessively hungry when going onto fresh pastures. (8) Consider anti-bloat products that contain poloxalene (2-4 g/100 lb body weight/d) several days before turnout and during periods where bloat is likely. Effectiveness of this product depends on daily intake; therefore, mixing it with a daily supplement is more effective than feeding in blocks in the pasture. Another useful product is Rumensin® which has also shown efficacy in reducing the incidence of bloat. (9) Some animals are chronic bloaters. If a particular animal frequently shows signs of bloat, it may be best to remove that animal from the herd. When bloat is observed, immediately remove affected animals from pasture and offer dry hay. This will reduce the bloat problem in all animals that will eat. Forcing bloated animals to walk can increase belching. When handling an affected animal, remember to move them calmly and quietly because breathing is impaired by the buildup of pressure in the rumen. If the bloating has not been lessened once you get the animal to the pen, several options should be considered. They include: (1) stomach tubing—this involves restraining the animal and passing a rubber hose down the esophagus (taking care to avoid passing it into the animal’s trachea) and into the rumen providing a mechanical release of the gas. (2) Administration of a vegetable or mineral oil drench—this will reduce the surface tension and allow the stable foam gas bubbles to rupture. The rate for treatment is 300 to 500 mL (10 – 12 oz) for a 450 kg (1,000 lb) animal, administered in one dose. This treatment can be repeated several times within a few hours if necessary. (3) Trocar (medical instrument with a sharp pointed end, often three-sided) this should be the last possible resort and should only be used when the animal is down and cannot be moved. Use of a trocar, a device that punctures the rumen from the outside is a rapid and effective means of releasing the gas, but it requires treating the animal with antibiotics because of the risk of peritonitis.

10/06/2021

The rumen in cattle is organized to transform roughage (high-fiber) material, of naturally low nutritive value, into high-value products, namely volatile fatty acids (energy) and microbial mass (proteins and vitamins). This is how, in nature, ruminant animals can cope even in arid areas with scarce or no lush vegetation. But, in intensive farming systems, we must load the rumen with more readily available forms of energy (cereals) and proteins (such as soybean meal) in order to derive the high milk yields we need to remain profitable in a low-margin industry.

Naturally, when grains prevail over roughages in the rumen, microbes that degrade fiber tend to die out in favor of others that thrive on starch and proteins. These different microbes, when they reach an excessive level, induce so much acidity that they make the rumen hostile to further microbial growth, especially for fibrolytic strains. That is, in very general terms, what we call acidosis, which leads to rumen shutdown and a host of other problems that can include even pathological symptoms.

And, on top of that, these bacteria that utilize grains so well produce too many gases, exceeding the animal’s capacity of getting rid of them. As such, the gases accumulate and cause bloating that is a very visible distress symptom that needs immediate attention as it can threaten the life of the animal. Other conditions, and even some specific roughages, contribute to bloating, but here we examine the role of high-grain diets into the combined problem of acidosis and bloating.

What can be done to prevent these two symptoms? Here, we need to discuss the issue of prevention, not only because it is preferable to a cure, but because the latter often requires the collaboration of a veterinarian, and as such it is a totally different discussion. The following seven steps can prevent or reduce the incidences of acidosis and/or bloating, at least in some degree, because we cannot cheat nature for too long.

1. Sodium bicarbonate
Adding some sodium carbonate (an alkali, or anti-acidic compound) that, when in water solution – in the rumen – releases hydroxide anions that neutralize hydrogen cations, brings rumen acidity (pH) closer to neutral (7). There are two problems with this approach: First, adding too much sodium carbonate adds too much sodium in the diet and nothing in excess is a good thing; second, too much carbonate can cause excessive bloating (the soda effect in soft drinks.) Thus, there is a limit to how much of this ingredient can be added. The same is true for potassium bicarbonate, which is not so widely used.

2. Magnesium oxide
This is a direct antacid that rapidly increases alkalinity and prevents acidosis. Its problem is that it can be too effective, risking alkalosis – the opposite of acidosis – with its own problems. Thus, this too has limits on how much can be included in a dairy ration. In fact, it is a blend of sodium bicarbonate and magnesium oxide that is used most often.

3. Yeast
Whether dead or alive or fragmented, a small amount of yeast can help ruminants sustain a healthier rumen ecology, meaning a more robust fybrolytic bacterial population that is not easily affected by a high-grain diet. Again, the exact mechanism of how yeast helps the animal is unknown, but the general consensus is that it helps to some degree.

4. Roughage stem length
Cows that graze chop long swaths of grass and gulp them down without any chewing. They leave this job for when they rest, during which time they “ruminate.” That is, they bring up from the rumen a bolus of roughage and chew it. During this time, they produce saliva, which includes a lot of natural bicarbonate that helps reduce rumen acidity. If we provide stabled dairy cows with finely chopped roughage material (because it is easier to mechanize its distribution), we disrupt this natural process, and then we have to add chemicals to bring rumen pH back to normal. Thus, long roughage is a natural way for the animal to avoid metabolic rumen distress problems.

5. Grain particle size
Finely ground grains are required for non-ruminant animals (pigs and poultry) to improve feed efficiency. The same can be said for ruminants, as finely ground grains can rapidly escape the rumen and reach the real stomach, providing more readily available energy and proteins. But this also creates a target for bacteria in the rumen, leading eventually to acidosis and bloating. Thus, there needs to be a balance between how finely we grind grains and the risk of metabolic disorders.

6. Pelleted ingredients
Some feedstuffs come pelleted – sugar beet pulp and rapeseed meal are two that come easily to mind. If acidosis is a problem, it would be wise to avoid grinding them down before incorporating into rations. Perhaps this will cause a bit of a mechanical/distribution problem for large dairy farms, but letting cows do the grinding themselves (chew them down to size) will work as with long-stemmed roughage: more saliva equals more bicarbonate in the rumen.

7. Frequent meals
A large, single meal is a sure way to induce acidosis in high-yielding dairy cows. The rumen expects a daylong, gradual introduction of material to function properly. Breaking meals down into more portions, offered especially during the cooler hours of the day, will help the rumen retain its health and functionality, always with the additional help of the above measures. Again, offering too many meals may be impractical, but it is preferable to the alternative: a non-producing cow.

All of the above are tools that require a technician (manager) to use as deemed appropriate. Acidosis and bloating can and do exist even in subclinical forms – that is, without obvious, external symptoms other than a drop in productivity. An on-site manager, with the help of a qualified nutritionist, can determine what non-nutritional measures and nutritional interventions can be taken to bring down these metabolic disorders to a level where productivity ensures profitability and animal health and welfare.

10/06/2021

How to help high-yielding cows from suffering when fed high-grain diets.
One of the most persistent concerns in the minds of all dairy farmers is the issue of acidosis and bloating.

All ruminant animals fed with a high level of grains are susceptible to these metabolic conditions. Indeed, young beef cattle raised intensively, reaching exceptional weights at very young ages, suffer as frequently as high-yielding dairy cows from these same disorders.

10/06/2021

Diagnosis:
Usually, the clinical diagnosis of frothy bloat is obvious. The causes of secondary bloat must be ascertained by clinical examination to determine the cause of the failure of eructation.

10/06/2021

Lesions:
Necropsy findings are characteristic. Congestion and hemorrhage of the lymph nodes of the head and neck, epicardium, and upper respiratory tract are marked. The lungs are compressed, and intrabronchial hemorrhage may be present. The cervical esophagus is congested and hemorrhagic, but the thoracic portion of the esophagus is pale and blanched—the demarcation known as the “bloat line” of the esophagus. The rumen is distended, but the contents usually are much less frothy than before death. The liver is pale because of expulsion of blood from the organ.

10/06/2021

Clinical Findings:
Bloat is a common cause of sudden death. Cattle not observed closely, such as pastured and feedlot cattle and dry dairy cattle, usually are found dead. In lactating dairy cattle, which are observed regularly, bloat commonly begins within 1 hr after being turned onto a bloat-producing pasture. Bloat may develop on the first day after being placed on the pasture but more commonly develops on the second or third day.

In primary pasture bloat, the rumen becomes obviously distended suddenly, and the left flank may be so distended that the contour of the paralumbar fossa protrudes above the vertebral column; the entire abdomen is enlarged. As the bloat progresses, the skin over the left flank becomes progressively more taut and, in severe cases, cannot be “tented.” Dyspnea and grunting are marked and are accompanied by mouth breathing, protrusion of the tongue, extension of the head, and frequent urination. Rumen motility does not decrease until bloat is severe. If the tympany continues to worsen, the animal will collapse and die. Death may occur within 1 hr after grazing began but is more common ~3–4 hr after onset of clinical signs. In a group of affected cattle, there are usually several with clinical bloat and some with mild to moderate abdominal distention.

In secondary bloat, the excess gas is usually free on top of the solid and fluid ruminal contents, although frothy bloat may be seen in vagal indigestion when there is increased ruminal activity. Secondary bloat is seen sporadically. There is tympanic resonance over the dorsal abdomen left of the midline. Free gas produces a higher pitched ping on percussion than frothy bloat. The distention of the rumen can be detected on re**al examination. In free-gas bloat, the passage of a stomach tube or trocarization releases large quantities of gas and alleviates distention.

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