Treating bloat in cattle

After a bull or a cow consumes feed, gases start forming in the rumen. Sometimes, excessive gases are produced, a condition called bloat. This can cause pain, distress and lead to an emergency, says Shane Brody.

Cattle get bloat (ruminal tympany) because they have inherited this tendency, have abnormalities in the digestive system, or are fed fine grains without sufficient roughage in the feed ration. Certain animals are more susceptible to bloat.

You can often prevent bloat by adding some coarser roughage to finer meals or giving animals bales of coarse feed such as teff or lucerne. Avoid putting hungry cattle onto green legume pastures, as this can also lead to bloat.

Use anti-bloating agents in the livestock water troughs, carefully following the mixing instructions on the label.

The sudden onset of bloat can be a traumatic experience for the animal and the farmer. The animal will often act in a panicky way and look distressed.

If a veterinarian is close enough to drive to you fairly quickly, phone this person for help, because treating severe bloat can be quite a procedure. If, however, help is far away and you are on your own, you’ll have to do your best for the animal.

EMERGENCY TREATMENT FOR BLOAT

The following advice is only for emergencies. Ensure that your hands and all the instruments you use have been properly disinfected.